Why Anthony Joshua asked fans to pray for him ahead of Daniel Dubois showdown

Anthony Joshua volition go a three-time heavyweight champion if helium tin flooded chap Brit Daniel Dubois successful beforehand of 96,000 fans astatine Wembley Stadium connected Saturday night

Anthony Joshua has pleaded with fans to commune for him arsenic helium aims to go a heavyweight world champion for the 3rd time.

AJ faces chap Brit Daniel Dubois astatine a sold-out Wembley connected Saturday night, with the latter’s IBF loop connected the line. The 34-year-old is hoping to reclaim the rubric helium mislaid to Oleksandr Usyk successful 2021 connected what promises to beryllium a monumental nighttime for boxing connected these shores.

There volition beryllium 96,000 fans astatine ringside for the super-fight, but if Friday’s weigh-in astatine Trafalgar Square was thing to spell by, Joshua volition person the bulk of the support. His entranceway was roared by a immense assemblage arsenic helium weighed successful somewhat heavier than Dubois.

And helium addressed the assembled crowd, thanking them for their enactment passim his 11-year nonrecreational vocation - and asking for different large effort this weekend.

He said: "I privation to convey you for sticking with maine done heavy and thin. If I tin inquire 1 favour, spell location contiguous and commune for my occurrence time and that I go a three-time champion of the world.

"I look astatine myself arsenic a gladiator and I'm going to measurement into the arena time to execute for the people.

"They [the fans] are present for the undercard too, truthful we person to springiness recognition to the undercard too. I started precocious successful boxing but it shows you tin execute anything.

And erstwhile asked if helium was reasoning astir what comes beyond this fight, and however agelong helium has near successful the sport, Joshua added: "I'm not a warrior successful the plot yet, I'm inactive connected the battlefield."

His promoter Eddie Hearn said: "It feels similar breadstuff and food but determination is simply a large occupation to bash tomorrow. I privation to convey everyone for continuously supporting Anthony Joshua and helium volition springiness it his each tomorrow."

Dubois whitethorn travel into the bout arsenic the champion, but is the underdog with the bookmakers. But helium is assured that he’s successful the close spot to origin an upset connected the biggest nighttime of his ain vocation truthful far.

"I'm acceptable to fight. Now it's clip to get successful the ringing and fight, let's go,” Dubois said. "We've been moving hard.

"A batch of enactment and grooming has gone into this and I'm acceptable to go. The talking is done. A triumph by immoderate means necessary."

Frank Warren was likewise optimistic astir his fighter’s prospects successful what could beryllium a hostile atmosphere. "He's a young man, helium turned 27 a fewer weeks agone and is coming disconnected immoderate monolithic wins. I've ne'er seen him this confident. Tomorrow you volition spot thing special.

"These 2 guys volition propulsion bombs astatine each different and you'll spot thing other special."