ANTHONY JOSHUA toasted the return of fans who can knock back booze watching his comeback on Saturday.
The heavyweight king defends his crowns against Bulgarian veteran Kubrat Pulev at Wembley Arena, with 1,000 lucky punters present.
And the UK fight fans who have been gasping for live blood, sweat and tears can now be ringside with drinks in their hand.
Joshua, 31, checked into the fight hotel yesterday morning before facing a Covid-19 test and 24hr quarantine while awaiting the result.
He said: “I like it, it will be intimate. It’s nice for the fans.
“It is a special occasion to watch a heavyweight championship fight among 1,000 people when normally there would be tens of thousands of people.”
Promoter Eddie Hearn revealed fans have got the green light to knock back pints.
He said: “Yes, there will be a one-way system on the concourse.
“You will not be able to drink your beer standing around, you will take your drink and go back to your seat.
“There will also be, in the hospitality area, a pre-fight meal and then you go to your seats for the fights. Any drinking will be done in your seats.”
Joshua has been letting sparring partners pound him in preparation for his long-awaited ring return.
A year ago yesterday, the British heavyweight star jabbed and moved his way to a rematch win over Andy Ruiz Jr.
It came six months after he was dropped four times and stopped in a firefight with the flabby stand-in.
That painful first defeat — and the doubts over his chin and durability — were not quashed by a revenge mission on points.
So a return to his lethal best is desperately needed when he faces wily Kubrat Pulev at Wembley Arena on Saturday.
Joshua, 31, admits he has given heavy-handed David Adeleye, Fabio Wardley and Hosea Stewart free rein to attack him at his Sheffield training base.
