Leamington boxer receives message of support from Anthony Joshua

Harris returns to the ring on Friday night, on the Wasserman Boxing show at the Telford International Centre, following a shock first defeat of his career last summer.

The 24-year-old, from Leamington Spa, was stopped by Kostiantyn Dovbyshchenko in Edinburgh in July and has now teamed up with world renowned coach Peter Fury in a bid to get back in the heavyweight mix as soon as possible.

Harris – known as ‘Magic’ – takes on Belgium’s Amine Boucetta over four rounds later this week and heads into his return having sparred Francis Ngannou, UFC champion Tom Aspinall and Hughie Fury, among others.

Messages of support have also come from a number of British heavyweights, including Dereck Chisora, Frazer Clarke and the man who faces Ngannou next week – Joshua.

On messages from AJ and others, Harris said: "A lot of people, including AJ, have reached out, exchanging some nice words, which has been nice.

"And, of course, it's encouraging to hear these messages. I guess if they thought I was rubbish, and couldn't box, then they may not bother and so they reached out because it was a shock defeat. I am now putting the work in to right those wrongs.”