Larry Holmes is a big fan of Anthony Joshua

Joshua has had to pull out of two fights dates in the past month, due to niggling bicep and shoulder injuries, after turning over to the paid code in May.

The Olympic gold medallist , 24, from Watford boxed twice in less than a month before his injury problems and Holmes, a long-standing former world champion, wants him to take his time.

The 64-year-old 'Easton Assassin' made 20 defences of his WBC, IBF and Ring titles, second only to Joe Louis in heavyweight championship boxing.

And Holmes, who did colour commentary for Joshua's last fight in London last month, believes England's big hope can follow and perhaps even surpass his lead – if he's handled right.

He said: "He's the one that everyone is focussing on right now and has a lot of potential. He punches good, there are things that he does wrong but he's just a kid.

"His quickness makes up for the things that he does wrong and, with the right training, I think you have got a champion here.

"Just don't use him too much, let him take his time, remember he's only 23-years-old. If I was his age again, I would be champion for a long time.

"And who is out there? There's only the Klitschko brothers and they don't want to fight anybody who can really compete.

"They are good fighters who base everything on the jab. When you do that, you have a chance. That's what this kid has got to learn.

"They can't rush him. When I was there, they were on about putting him back in the ring next week. They should have been letting him correct some of the mistakes he made in his last fight.

"By putting him back in the ring, he's not learning, particularly if the guys he is going in with are not of high quality. What good does that do?

"The fights shouldn't get easier but, if you train right, the result should stay the same right across the board. Maybe he could even beat my record. I told him that when I was there that night.

"To tell you the truth, some of these trainers and managers have a lot to learn. They come out of high school and think they can teach you how to throw a right hand, left hook, body punch and duck.

"There's a way to get out all of that and that's natural ability, which this kid has got a lot of."

Holmes was a heavyweight star in his own right and boxed professionally for nearly 30 years, losing just six times. Only Mike Tyson ever beat him inside the distance.

He said: "I had 75 fights, 69 wins and 44 knockouts and I didn't lose all of the other six. I thought they stole the Brian Nielsen fight and they robbed me with Michael Spinks, twice!

"Holyfield and McCall was close, I can accept that, and then there was Tyson. I know what I did and what I can do. But it took me a long time to learn it and this kid hasn't done that as yet.

"You have got a big boy here who is capable of boxing properly, not like Lennox Lewis! He was great but had no jab.

"We have been friends since he came to my gym and I was trying to teach him how to jab, he started using it but he was always trying to kill somebody.

"This kid reminds me of Lennox and he sounds like him, too, they must be from the same place! He's got a great future."

Holmes got as close as can be to the great Muhammad Ali, starting out when he became his sparring partner in the 1970s.

A mega-money offer lured 'the Greatest' out of retirement for the fight and was long past his formidable best in 1980.

Actor Sylvester Stallone, at ringside, famously called it "like watching an autopsy on a man who is still alive." Ali was pulled out by his corner at the end of the 10th round, for the first time ever.

Holmes said: "I was Muhammad Ali's sparring partner for four years, from 1970 to 1974, then I quit in 1975. I learned a lot from him, because he was better than me when I started.

"For the last two-and-a-half years, I was better than him, that's why I stopped doing it. I wanted to be a champion, he wished me good luck and I never thought I was going to fight him.

"But people get themselves into situations and the money he got brought him out of retirement. I told him his mind was making promises his body can't keep.

"When we were in there, I asked him 'why you taking all this? You can't win.' You know what he said back to me? 'Shut up boy, I am going to knock you out!'

"He was the greatest in my book, he was my idol, but that was in his time. Then I came along."

By Craig Birch