In an interview on JD’s In The Duffle Bag podcast, Anthony Joshua played down the Wilder competition, saying: “He’s just another fighter to me.”

Speaking to 150 excited fans at a meet and greet at JD’s Oxford Street flagship store, the unified heavyweight champion said: “I’ve come through with a strict goal to be the best I can be (as long as) wherever that takes me is better than when I started.

“By going out there and constantly fighting champion after champion, (it) shows at least to the person who hasn’t got a clue about boxing, ‘ah that geezer over there is definitely fighting decent fighters.’”

“Wilder is a talented fighter but he’s just another fighter to me that I’d like to challenge.”

Wilder’s camp have strongly refuted AJ’s claims of a potential “curveball” fight that would see a unification bout with the Watford-born boxer instead of a trilogy-concluding fight with Fury.

Joshua has promised fans that his Wilder fight will happen, suggesting it will be “crazy for the history of boxing” if the two never meet in the ring: “We’re in the same era in terms of like the 2000(s) era, the same division, heavyweight, (and) both got some belts.

“It’ll be crazy for the history of boxing 1000 years from now - when everyone’s not here - for them to look back like them two never fought, it just doesn’t make sense.”

AJ ended by adding: “For legacy and history, the fight will definitely happen.”

Joshua was making his first public appearance of the new year, joining 150 eager fans at an intimate meet and greet at the retailer’s flagship store and also appeared on their podcast - ‘In the Duffle Bag’ - which was hosted by DJ Chuckie and gamer Elz the Witch.

You can listen to the full podcast here.