By James Dielhenn

“First things first, beat this guy on Saturday – he will get hit, go through sticky patches, then knock him out,” says Eddie Hearn. “Make Madison Square Garden explode”

Anthony Joshua has been told not to “slip up” against Andy Ruiz Jr, and then to call out Deontay Wilder by his promoter Eddie Hearn.

Joshua is hoping to secure a fight for every major heavyweight belt against Wilder but must first defend his IBF, WBA and WBO gold against Ruiz Jr on Saturday night, live on Sky Sports & DAZN.

Hearn explained at Tuesday’s public workouts: “I said to Joshua, ‘keep winning, don’t slip up against Ruiz Jr who has zero fear’.

“[Ruiz Jr] will come in low and swing them over the top. Don’t lose!

“Do we have to make the Wilder fight? More than anything. Biggest fight in world boxing and one of the biggest heavyweight fights of all time.

“I’m scared of Ruiz Jr and especially of Wilder – he can punch! But don’t you want those moments, a chance to be undisputed? You think we don’t want it? We want it so badly.

“AJ needs to say: ‘Now! November or December, no excuses, let’s do it’.

“First things first, beat this guy on Saturday – he will get hit, go through sticky patches, then knock him out. Make Madison Square Garden explode and show these American people the best heavyweight on the planet.”

Joshua said earlier this week that he wanted “face to face” talks with WBC champion Wilder in order to thrash out an agreement to fight.

Hearn said: “Wilder is being talked into doing something that he doesn’t want to do – I believe he wants to fight Joshua but he’s being shown a plan for something different. They are convincing him to fight Luis Ortiz then Adam Kownacki.

“AJ should meet him face to face and ask, ‘am I wasting my time here?’ Go straight to the horse’s mouth.

“Wilder has got what we want, the final piece of the jigsaw.”

Joshua looked trim and sharp at the workouts in New York’s Financial Districts, and Hearn insists that he is arriving at this Saturday’s title defence in better condition than for his previous fight.

“Before the Alexander Povetkin fight, it got to fight week and he was shattered. He was ill on the Friday. Fight week is about recovery.

Article courtesy of James Dielhenn & Sky Sports

Photo courtesy of Matchroom Boxing/ DAZN