COLCHESTER’S Lewis Richardson is hoping some motivational words from heavyweight world champion Anthony Joshua will provide a timely boost ahead of the Haringey Box Cup.

The talented youngster had an inspirational chat with Joshua earlier this week during a sparring session in Brentwood, where the Essex University boxer was preparing for the prestigious international event which begins at Alexandra Palace tomorrow.

Joshua told Richardson about his title fight triumph over Wladimir Klitschko at Wembley Stadium month, where he was crowned WBA, IBO and IBF world heavyweight champion.

And the former Thomas Lord Audley School pupil said meeting up with the Olympic gold medallist will serve as extra impetus for him to perform well, this weekend.

Richardson told the Daily Gazette: “While I was sparring in Brentwood on Monday, Anthony Joshua walked in and started watching me.

“I’ve met him before and every time I see him, it’s a big thing and someone like that gives you that extra motivation to do well.

“When I got out of the ring, he started talking to me about the Wladimir Klitschko fight – he just said the whole event was mad.

“He told me that he sat in during the first two rounds and he was nervous and that he could feel the crowd but that after that, he was zoned.

“He told me to keep working hard and that the hard work will pay off.”

Richardson has an excellent track record over the last three years at the annual Haringey Box Cup, which is Europe’s largest amateur boxing event.

The England youngster won his category in both 2016 and 2014 and was a losing finalist, in 2015.

“It’s a good event and really well run,” said Richardson, who will not discover the identity of his first opponent until tomorrow, when the weigh-ins have taken place.

“It’s three fights in three days and although they are three rounds each, unless you’ve stepped into the ring you don’t really know how gruelling that can be.

“But it’s good and the results speak for themselves – you can definitely see the boys who have trained and those who haven’t.

“I’ll go into it expecting to face many different styles and it’s good preparation for individual tournaments.

“There are boys from countries like Switzerland, Sweden, Ireland and Norway in my weight category alone.

“The likes of Anthony Joshua, Nicola Adams and Katie Taylor have all won it in the past and gone on to success at Olympic level.

“It’s an important event for me and it’s good preparation for the international scene, because then you have to box five or six times in a week and fighting three times in three days is good groundwork for that.”

“I’m feeling good and in good shape.

“I’ve had some really good sparring sessions and this is the last tournament before the end of the season, so I want to finish well.”