Anthony Joshua called Laura Woods his ‘dream date’ in a flirty interview with the presenter after his win over Jermaine Franklin on Saturday night.

AJ picked up his first victory since 2020 despite a less than convincing performance against Franklin, as the fight was scored 118-111, 117-111, 117-111 in his favour.

He seemed to be in good spirits after the fight as Woods asked him on IFL TV what he thought of her career and the two-time world champion replied: ‘I think it’s blossomed amazingly, just like you,’ which led the 35-year-old to ask how many times he had been hit on the head.

Later in the interview, Joshua replied ‘you’ when questioned on his dream date, at which point Woods punched the air and told him ‘this is perfect!’.

AJ then joked about how Ruben Loftus-Cheek had ‘beaten him to it’ after the Chelsea midfielder named Woods as his dream crush in a recent talkSPORT interview.

Laura Woods asked Anthony Joshua who his dream date would be in a post-fight interview

The heavyweight boxer inspired a celebration from the talkSPORT presenter after saying ‘you’

Anthony Joshua called Woods his ‘dream date’ in a flirty interview with the presenter after his win over Jermaine Franklin on Saturday night

The 33-year-old told Woods that he doesn’t tend to date because of his boxing career

Both parties confirmed they were not in relationships after Joshua asked ‘are you taken?’, before the host dealt him a blow bigger than any Franklin could muster as she admitted to being ‘too focused on work’ to date.

The boxer also stays away from relationships, as he added: ‘With boxing, I feel I never wanted to commit because I didn’t want to go training and I’m busy arguing with my missus or something and my head’s not in the game.

‘I just decided to keep my head where it needs to be.’

Speaking back in 2020, Joshua, admitted he’d not had a girlfriend ‘for a while’ and said it would be nice to ‘have someone’ but blamed a tricky work-life balance.

He told The Sun: ‘I think you can date and still be a successful sportsman but it’s hard to find a balance and I would have to compromise — which I’ve not felt able to do.

‘My dad never gave me advice about much. But in terms of relationships what I have learnt and what I tell my son [JJ] is, it would be nice to find a high school sweetheart and to grow together because as you get older you get set in your ways…

The pair appeared to be very comfortable in each other’s company – with Joshua adopting a relaxed position and bare-footed Woods making sure she was nice and close to the champ on the – very large – sofa

And their proximity didn’t go unnoticed with eagle-eyed fans, who seemed to approve of the pairing

‘I don’t have a girlfriend and I haven’t had one for a while. But as I get older I do think it would be nice to have someone, someone to grow with as well — but I honestly haven’t found anyone.’

While his love life may be on hold, Joshua made is boxing intentions clear after beating Franklin as he called out out heavyweight champion Tyson Fury.

‘I try and provide for the fans,’ he said after the win, ‘I know who they want. They said Tyson Fury; the ball is in his court. I would be honoured to fight for the WBC Heavyweight Championship of the World.

‘If he’s listening, he knows my promoter; we’ve had dialogue before, so let’s continue this. We ain’t getting any younger.’

Woods let the heavyweight start down, though, replying she was ‘too focused on work’

It isn’t the first time Laura Woods has delivered a public rejection to a would-be suitor.  Last year she politely rejected Love Island star Charlie Brake after he asked her out on Twitter

A fight between Fury and Joshua has long been considered one of the most desired bouts in the heavyweight division, if not in the entire sport, but it has failed to materialise.

However, having lost his belts to Oleksandr Usyk in 2021, and losing a rematch in 2022, the prospect has become more unlikely than ever, with the Gypsy King likely to only want a fight in order to unify the division.

Fury was due to fight Usyk later this month, but talks fell through after financial disagreements.

Hearn previously told Sportsmail talks had taken place over a Joshua vs Fury fight this summer, although Frank Warren later angrily denied this. 

Joshua defeated Franklin by unanimous decision on Saturday night but it wasn’t convincing