World bonking champ: Larry Holmes tells Joshua to have sex before fights

LARRY HOLMES let Anthony Joshua in on the secret to becoming a heavyweight legend a�� regular SEX.

Two-time world champion Holmes is considered one of the finest ever after racking up a 69-6 record in a career spanning four decades.

Holmes, 67, is already a big fan of IBF and WBA king Joshua but says it is important the Londoner makes love AND war if he wants to go down in history.

He said: a�?If I had to give him one piece of advice it would be this a�� get laid a week before each fight.

a�?You need to relax. It restores your energy and everything.

a�?Hea��s a heavyweight, hea��s got to get that sh*t out of him. But he doesna��t want to do it every day or nothing because that might drain him!a�?

Joshua faces late stand-in Carlos Takam at a sold-out Principality Stadium inA� Cardiff on Saturday after months of rigorous training.

The old boxing adage is that having sex during your camp makes you weaker and manyA� fighters go on a strict bonk ban in the lead-up to a fight.

Ex-heavyweight champion David Haye rules out sex for six weeks before fights because he reckons it would affect his performance.

But Holmes said: a�?They say youa��re not allowed to do it when youa��re fighting.

a�?I listened for a while but then found out it was all a lie and youa��re missing the good stuff man.a�?

Joshua, 28, is the huge favourite to beat Cameroon-born TakamA� but the 2012 Olympic champ reckons it will be tough.

Joshua believes 6ft 1in Takam will use what he calls a a�?Mike Tyson stylea�? ofA� getting low and swinging in big hooks.

Holmes, who beat Muhammad Ali in 1980,A� was knocked out by Tyson in the fourth round of their 1988 clash for the IBF, WBA and WBC titles.

But the Easton Assassin believes if AJ had ever fought the real Iron Mike there would have only been one winner.

Holmes, speaking at the launch of a new Tag Heuer watch to commemorate a�?The Greatesta�? Ali, said:A� a�?Joshua would have knocked out a prime Mike Tyson therea��s no doubt about it.

a�?Tyson went down low then came up and tried to throw roundhouses. But Joshua would hit him with a straight right hand on the side of his damn chin and Mike wouldna��t get up.

a�?Ia��m not taking anything away from Tyson a�� he kicked my ass. But if Mike fought anybody who boxes behind a jab, moves out and throws punches, they would whoop his ass.

a�?Thata��s why I think even Tyson at his best, Joshua would knock him out.

a�?He punches hard and he isna��t going to stand there and let Mike hit him.

a�?He got knocked down by Wladimir Klitschko and got up again. That shows you hea��s ready to fight.a�?

Hall-of-famer Holmes made 20 successful defences of the world heavyweight title putting him behind only Klitschko and Joe Louis at the top of the list.

Takam, 36, will be the fourth defence of Joshuaa��s reign, since taking the IBF title off Charles Martin in April 2016.

Holmes added: a�?He will be a champion for as long as he wants to be a champion.

a�?But youa��ve got to take it round by round and take your days off. I took twoA� a week a�� Wednesdays and Sundays.

a�?Ia��d do nothing those days but sit and hang out. I got laid a few times too.a�? .