Anthony Joshua: 'Ferocious' British heavyweight will cause Kristian Prenga 'an awful lot of pain', says Barry Hearn

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

Negotiations continue around a long-awaited all-British showdown with Tyson Fury, but Joshua must first hold up his end of the bargain by beating Prenga in Saudi Arabia this Saturday.

Joshua has not fought since knocking YouTuber Jake Paul out in December, with the two-time heavyweight world champion having an extended period away from the ring after surviving a car crash that killed two of his friends in Nigeria.

The 36-year-old has been training alongside former undisputed champion Oleksandr Usyk and Hearn, who has been associated with Joshua since his 2012 breakthrough, has warned he has never seen him more dialled in.