Hearn has case of the jitters for AJ

PROMOTER Eddie Hearn says he is “nervous” about Anthony Joshua’s showdown with Alexander Povetkin at Wembley on Saturday.

Joshua, the WBA, WBO and IBF world heavyweight champion, faces 39-year-old Russian Povetkin, who has only been beaten once in his 35-fight career – by Wladimir Klitschko in 2013.

“It’s a massive show, a massive event with the biggest star in world boxing and the best heavyweight in the world,” Hearn said.

“But I’m a bit nervous because I think this is a much tougher fight than people give it credit for. Boxing fans know how big a fight this is and how tough a fight this is.

“Outside of Klitschko I think on paper this is the toughest fight of Joshua’s career so far.

“He’s expected to win. But Povetkin punches very hard, he’s got a good chin, he’s durable. I expect this to be a real test.”

Like Joshua, pictured above, Povetkin is an Olympic gold medallist.

He became the super-heavyweight champion at the 2004 Games in Athens and, like Joshua, when he fought Carlos Takam – in October 2014 – he won via a 10th-round stoppage.

As an amateur, Povetkin trained alongside Russia’s president Vladimir Putin, who has a black belt in judo, and they remain friends.

■ The first press conference for the WBC heavyweight fight between Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury will take place on Monday, promoter Frank Warren has said.