Anthony Joshua has revealed he is now motivated primarily by money as he prepares to take on Jermaine Franklin on April 1.

Joshua is returning from back-to-back defeats to Oleksandr Usyk against the Michigan heavyweight, who was beaten by Dillian Whyte in November.

AJ knows victory is crucial to his quest to regain the heavyweight titles he lost to Usyk but the Londoner says belts are no longer the driving force behind his career.

“Money money money,” he said, when asked what motivates him.

“I like making money. Straight up. This is a prizefighting sport. I’ve been broke. I know what this sh!t means. When it’s all said and done, nobody will care about me anymore.

“I’m feeling serious, focused and locked in. Whether my opponent has belts or not I take him the same way. I have to give the man his respect, he’s coming to fight and that will make me keep my feet on the ground and take him seriously.”

Joshua is also returning to London’s o2 Arena, where he made his debut a decade ago, for the first time since 2016.

This fight against Franklin, which is being shown on DAZN, is also the first time he will be on a non-pay-per-view show for eight years in the UK.

“I don’t really mind where I box to be honest,” he said. 

“It’s just a blessing to be involved in the sport, to be working. It has been a long time on the road. I think it’s 12 championship fights back to back now. I’m always trying to adapt my style and do many different things because in this sport it’s about longevity.”

On Franklin, the 33-year-old added: “I watch him and compare him to old school fighters. People feel like boxing is based on popularity but it’s based on talent and skill and he has a lot of both.

“One thing is for sure that throughout my career this is the most serious I’ve ever taken it. With my food, my sleep, my training. Everything I’ve been through. positive and negative, I’m putting into this camp.”