ANTHONY JOSHUA is determined to make up for lost time when he returns to the ring against Jason Gavern at Newcastle’s Metro Radio Arena on Saturday night.

A stress fracture of the back forced Joshua to miss a planned January bout with Kevin Johnson, and stalled some of the momentum that had been building since the Olympic gold medallist entered the professional ranks.

Last November’s brutal knock-out win over Michael Sprott highlighted Joshua’s abilities, and the 25-year-old heavyweight is determined to stage a repeat this weekend.

“I was on a roll and there was great momentum, but I think I can pick that up again,” said Joshua, who claimed the super heavyweight gold medal at the London Olympics. “I wanted to fight (in January), but people were telling me not to and of course they were right.

“It will be great to fight in another massive city in the UK. I expect the atmosphere is going to be fantastic, the fans up there love their sport and I am really looking forward to doing my thing for them.

“The injury problem was going on since October, but heavyweights have big muscles to support their bones, so when it happened the muscles tensed up around the bone when I was training.

“I took two weeks off after the Sprott fight, the muscles relaxed and I didn't realise it was a bone injury, I thought it was the muscle that was hurting.

“I got it checked and they said it was a stress fracture. I wanted to carry on training, but had I done that it would have got worse and it could have turned into a chronic injury.”

Joshua is being widely touted as a future world heavyweight champion, and Saturday’s fight is the next step towards achieving international recognition.

The 25-year-old has won all ten of his contests in the paid ranks, and already looks to be head and shoulders above his domestic rivals in the heavyweight division.

“My route is set up and it’s simple,” he said. “I have been through my hard road and now the path is pretty clear. The pressure to be great, saying I can be the next this and that, or saying that I can't, it’s just fuel to my fire.

“I want to be successful to thank those people that have helped me and backed me, and to those that doubt me I would want to say think twice before you think your opinion is fact. Life in general is hard and there are people out there with real problems, so the pressure I feel is nothing.”

While Bradley Saunders will not be competing for the Commonwealth title on Saturday after damaging his hand, there is still a decent undercard to the Newcastle bill.

South Shields’ Anthony Nelson faces Dundee’s Jamie Wilson for the vacant Commonwealth Super Flyweight title, while Birtley’s Jon-Lewis Dickinson challenges Stephen Simmons for the Scotsman’s WBC International Silver Cruiserweight title.

Jeff Saunders will make his pro debut, with unbeaten Teessider Simon Vallily and light heavyweight Jordan King also in action.