Anthony Joshua returned to Watford this week and boxing promoter Eddie Hearn says the heavyweight “is the kind of person you see as a kid and think ‘I want to be like him’.”

Joshua, who used to live in the Meriden in Garston, undertook an open workout session at intu Watford on Monday afternoon as he continues to prepare for Saturday’s WBC International heavyweight title fight against Denis Bakhtov.

The 24-year-old spent almost an hour taking photos and interacting with his fans in the shopping centre before they watched Joshua go through brief training session.

Hearn believes that ‘AJ’ is a role model and says the former Kings Langley Secondary School pupil can grow the sport.

“We have got plans here in the future with Anthony and it is good for him to come back to Watford,” Hearn said.

“Usually the workouts are at one or two o’clock but the reason that we’ve done this so late in the day (4pm) is so children have the chance to come and see him.

“He is a role model and someone who can grow the sport. Anthony Joshua is the kind of person you see as a kid and think ‘I want to be like him’.

“So he is great for boxing, both big time boxing and grassroots boxing. It’s important for him to come back and say hello to the people from where he is from.”

Since turning professional last year Joshua has won all eight of his fights by knockout and has yet to be forced beyond three rounds.

It is hoped Bakhtov will provide a sterner test but Hearn said: “He is progressing at a rate that we never really expected. The fact that he is demolishing opponents doesn’t mean they are not any good.

“I thought we’d give him a dozen easy fights to begin with but when he demolishes someone, you’ve got to step it up again and again.

“Every fight is a step up from the last and Baktov is a big step up. You look at Anthony Joshua though and you know he is a superstar.

“We’ve just got to manage him properly. While he is demolishing all these people though, we’ve got to keep stepping it up for him.”