Boxing: Olympic super-heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua 'has no immediate plans to turn pro'

Olympic super-heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua returned to training with Team GB today as he begins his journey towards defending his crown in 2016.

The gold medalist shot to fame at London 2012 to become the hottest property in British boxing. He has so far resisted the lure of the professional ranks and insists he is focused on the Rio Games in four years' time.

Joshua took the first steps along the long road to Brazil today by joining up with his amateur colleagues at their English Institute of Sport base in Sheffield and despite the persistent speculation over his future, the 6ft 6in Londoner is happy to keep his headguard and vest.

"The situation is that Anthony is back in the gym with GB Boxing today," his manager James Cook told Press Association Sport.

"There have been no talks about turning professional. He's staying amateur. He's got a lot to learn and he's taking his time and there have been no talks with promoters and nothing has changed.

"I don't think he's even thinking about it. He genuinely wants to just get back in the gym and train. He's had 43 fights, that's the reality of it.

"He's very, very young and he doesn't want to make any rash decisions. He likes the GB set-up and the professionalism of the team around him and that's where he's at. It may be boring, but that's the situation.

"But obviously you never know what's going to happen down the line in three years' time or something."

The 22-year-old, who only took up the sport in 2007, edged out Italy's Roberto Cammarelle in the Olympic final last month having won silver at last year's World Championships.

He immediately vowed to stay loyal to the amateur set-up.

"It's honestly not going to be hard to resist," he said at the time.

"To leave something as great as the Great Britain set-up just because of money would be a big mistake. I don't want to lose that because of a bit of money thrown in my face.

"I didn't grow up with loads of money around me anyway, and I'm happy with the way things are. These memories are priceless. I want to go on and win world and European titles and dominate in the amateurs."

PA