Boxing fans on social media have decried a interview given by Anthony Joshua ahead of his ‘Day of Reckoning’ headline fight against Otto Wallin.

The British heavyweight gave a string of blunt answers as he was questioned over his preparations for the fight ahead of Saturday’s bout as he readied himself in ‘fight mode’.

Joshua knows victory will likely set up a huge fight with Deontay Wilder – who is also featured on the card facing off with Joseph Parker – next year, but first Joshua must see off the threat of Wallin, who has only lost once, against Tyson Fury on points.

The 34-year-old was a man of few words under questioning on Tuesday evening as he tersley shared how he was ‘just focused’ on his process ahead of the box office clash.

But fans were divided as the video of the interview circulated on social media, with a number calling out the boxer’s attitude.

Anthony Joshua cut a terse figure when being interviewed on Tuesday evening ahead of the ‘Day of Reckoning’

Joshua previously clashed with one of the interviews, Dev Sahni, at an earlier press conference

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‘What an absolute bell*** Anthony Joshua is!’ One user commented. ‘One of the biggest bell***s in the sport’.

Another agreed: ‘He’s trying so hard to be focused but it’s the opposite, being focused is being yourself and he’s method acting what he thinks focused is.

‘All hype no substance.’

A third continued: ‘Definitely feels like the old AJ was all an act’, while one user suggested that he was ‘just trying to play the bad boy’.

One even suggested: ‘Every fight gives us a different version of AJ. This is a weird phase.’

But others were more sympathetic to Joshua’s curt responses, with one user questioning: ‘The man said he is in fight mode what more do you want lol’.

Fans took to social media to share their thoughts on the clip as it quickly gained traction

Another said: ‘Having watched the Louis Theroux interview, I think AJ just can’t be bothered to act out for the media anymore. The same media who say he’s washed up.

‘Go on AJ (hands up emoji).’

Some also suggested that the choice of one of the interviewers – Queensbury’s Dev Sahni – may have played a role in his reticence.

Sahni clashed with Joshua during the press conference announcing the blockbuster card in November, after the interviewer attempted to speculate on whether the Watford-born fighter would face Jarrell Miller.

In response to his line of questioning, Joshua snapped back: ‘You’re not my promoter to judge me on my career.’

Sahni then asked AJ about his upcoming fight, but the Briton was having none of it and urged Eddie Hearn to pose him the questions instead.

‘Why isn’t Eddie asking me questions,’ he said. ‘You’re my promoter.’

But some users argued that the former world champion had every right to respond as he did

The 34-year-old will go toe-to-toe with Otto Wallin on Saturday night in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Hearn then proceeded to take over the questioning to cap off the awkward exchange.

When Sahni once again prompted Joshua on the question of Miller, who he was due to meet in June 2019 before a failed drugs test of Big Baby’s forced a star-crossed meeting with Andy Ruiz Jr instead, AJ was blunt.

‘He’s a drugs cheat,’ Joshua said, before adding that he was ‘definitely not’ planning on fighting the Brooklyn native.

‘Him and Dillian (Whyte) would make a good fight,’ he added, in reference to his cancelled bout with Whyte after he also returned an adverse finding.