Matchroom boss Barry Hearn admits Anthony Joshua’s shaky start against the inexperienced Kristian Prenga will have handed Tyson Fury belief ahead of their November showdown.
Anthony Joshua’s promoter Barry Hearn has admitted that Joshua’s rocky opening rounds against Kristian Prenga will likely have boosted Tyson Fury’s confidence that he can knock AJ out when the two heavyweights finally meet, in a striking admission from a man firmly in Joshua’s corner.
Speaking to SportsCasting, Hearn said Fury would have watched Joshua’s early struggles and drawn a clear conclusion — that trading with Joshua carries real reward as well as risk.
“Tyson Fury’s no idiot — he knows AJ can knock him out, but he’s got to be hit before he gets knocked out,” Hearn said. “So if I was Tyson Fury, I’d be a little more optimistic that he can go out and trade with AJ, thinking if he lands, he could have an early night.”
Hearn was careful to stress the danger still runs both ways, pointing to Joshua’s power as the great equaliser regardless of what Fury may have seen.
“The danger is that if AJ lands, he’s the hardest hitter in the heavyweight division — and if he hits you properly, it doesn’t matter what your name is, you’re going down. You’re going to sleep,” he said.
The comments come after a bruising night in which Joshua survived an early wobble and two knockdowns to stop Prenga in brutal fashion. Hearn admitted the fight didn’t go the way he’d hoped.
“It was not what I was expecting to see. But having said that, I’ve got to say it was certainly box office,” he said. “We all want an easy night, and that didn’t go to plan. But in the end, he delivered, and it’s onwards and upwards.”
Hearn revealed he was relieved to see Joshua absorb the early damage before taking control of the fight.
“I was just grateful AJ hurt Prenga early in the second, because it took away his opponent’s ambition, and then AJ could go to work properly and finish him in style,” he said.
“For me, I was very concerned that Tyson Fury’s fight suddenly looked in danger. But we got the result, and we go forward, as always.”
Barry Hearn on Anthony Joshua’s state of mind after a “traumatic” six months
Asked whether Joshua had returned to the ring too soon given his recent personal circumstances, Hearn was candid about the risks of rushing back.
“It’s always a concern — you never really know, especially when someone’s been through something as traumatic as AJ’s been through in the last six months,” Hearn said.
“The brain’s a funny thing, and until you actually put yourself in that position, you don’t really know how you’ve adapted to the circumstances. He seemed fine, but there are demons in there — he’s had a traumatic six or seven months. To his credit, he got up and came through it, so onwards and upwards, we hope.”
Joshua vs Fury fight date confirmed for late November
Hearn confirmed there will be no further tune-up fights before Joshua faces Fury, with a venue still to be finalised.
“End of November, we hope. We don’t know where the venue is yet — we want it to be in the UK,” Hearn said.
“Those talks are continuing, but the fight is made, and the British public are finally getting what they’ve been asking for for the last 10 years.”
