Boxing fans are convinced Anthony Joshua was flirting with radio host Laura Woods during an interview after his comeback fight at the O2 Arena on Saturday night.
The former world heavyweight champion spent a long period after the fight speaking with different media outlets, including YouTube channel IFL TV, who drafted in Woods to take part in their chat. The pair spoke for over ten minutes about the event and his plans going forward in the heavyweight division, but viewers were more interested in the pair's banter between questions.
Woods, who in the video admits that she is single, joked with Joshua and channel owner Kugan Cassius during the early stages of the interview, with fans believing that the pair were flirting. Over 311,000 people have watched the video and countless have taken to social media to voice their opinions since.
"It's nice to be speaking to you," Joshua can be seen saying early in the clip after noting that he prefers when an interviewer is with him on screen. When Woods asks why Cassius opts to stay behind the camera, he jokes that it's "because he's not as pretty as you are, he's got a face for radio."
And when Woods asks him who is his dream date, Joshua replies "you", before noting that he's been beaten to it by Ruben Loftus-Cheek who had answered the same during a recent appearance on her TalkSPORT show. Woods responds that "it's fine, there's no competition."
Joshua then asks if Woods is in a relationship, to which she responds that she isn't before confirming that he is also single. She then says that she's "too focused on work" and when he reciprocates she jokes that they "have so much in common".
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And viewers were quick to notice the chemistry between the pair, with many claiming that it's one of Joshua's best interviews. Many x-rated comments joked that Woods fancied Joshua, while another joked "AJ's trying to rizz her up". One fan added: "Noooo way as if he gave her the old 'it's not you it's me,' line."
There were comparisons made between the pair's chat and the infamous October 1994 interview between Paula Yates and Michael Hutchence in which the pair appeared loved up, and later entered a relationship. But some noted that Joshua was impressive to turn down the beautiful presenter, instead favouring his career.
"People saying that his heart isn’t in it," one wrote. "Man practically turned down Laura Woods saying he wouldn’t get into a relationship because of boxing when she was edging towards it." Another added: "It sure looks like he genuinely enjoyed the chat with her. Everything in his facials and body language says, he really really likes her."
