Hearn warns Prenga: 'Ferocious' Joshua ready to inflict pain

Anthony Joshua has adopted a "ferocious" mindset for his comeback fight against Kristian Prenga and is primed to "cause an awful lot of pain," according to Matchroom president Barry Hearn.

Joshua will face Albanian heavyweight Prenga in Saudi Arabia this Saturday, his first bout since knocking out YouTuber Jake Paul in December. The 36-year-old has been away from the ring after surviving a car crash in Nigeria that killed two of his friends.

Hearn, who has worked with Joshua since his 2012 breakthrough, told Sky Sports News that the former two-time world champion has been training alongside Oleksandr Usyk and looks better than ever. "AJ looks in the shape of his life," Hearn said. "He's tremendously motivated, not just to win but to put on a show."

What Hearn said

Hearn warned that Prenga should expect a ruthless performance. "Prenga is dangerous, we don't know too much about him, but Joshua is a ferocious animal at the moment," he said. "Don't blink, look for fireworks. He's in the mood to cause an awful lot of pain on Saturday."

Hearn also noted a shift in Joshua's long-term outlook, saying the fighter is now talking about competing for another three years rather than retiring soon. "Some of that has been fuelled by that tragic accident," he added.

Key points

• Joshua faces Kristian Prenga in Saudi Arabia this Saturday
• He last fought in December, knocking out Jake Paul
• Training camp included working with Oleksandr Usyk
• Hearn says Joshua is in the best shape of his career
• Talks continue over a potential Tyson Fury showdown

A win over Prenga is expected to keep Joshua on course for a long-awaited all-British clash with Tyson Fury, which Hearn hopes will take place at Wembley. Joshua must first deliver on Saturday night.