Eddie Hearn says Anthony Joshua’s heavier weight shows he is looking to ‘cause damage’ on Saturday night.

Joshua will return to the ring on Saturday night to face Jermaine Franklin in his first fight since losing to Oleksandr Usyk in August 2022.

Joshua will head into Saturday’s fight with Franklin at a career heaviest of 255.4lbs and Hearn says his weight will cause the American problems.

The Matchroom promoter says AJ’s weight shows he is ‘built for speed and power’ and that he is aiming for a ‘wrecking ball performance’.

Speaking exclusively to Sportsmail about AJ’s weight, Hearn said: ‘I hope it means a brutal game plan. Hopefully he’ll come in like a wrecking ball. He’s meant business.

Anthony Joshua has weighed in at a career-heaviest 255.4lbs for his fight with Jermaine Franklin

The former world champion was 10lbs lighter when he lost to Oleksandr Usyk in his last fight

‘He’s always in sensational shape. I think he will be looking to put the heat on Jermaine Franklin. You know, he’ll be looking to back him up and beat him up. He looks ready to fight.’

Joshua’s weight has been a topic of conversation ever since he made the step up to professional boxing in 2013. Fans and pundits have often criticised the British heavyweight for being ‘too big’, ‘too heavy’ and ‘too sluggish’.

Some insist the 33-year-old has bulked up too much since the amateur days when he beat Roberto Cammarelle in 2012 to become Great Britain’s 29th and final gold medallist at London Olympic Games.

Hearn says AJ’s weight will not be an issue when it comes to his agility. However, he did admit Joshua is prioritising power this time around.

Hearn said: ‘He’s done a bit of everything hasn’t he. He’s a similar kind of weight to what he was when he fought [Wladimir] Klitschko which was one of his best performances.

Meanwhile, Franklin came in at 234lbs compared to 257lbs in his last fight against Dillian Whyte

‘I think he’s 10 or 11 pounds heavier then when he fought Usyk because he wanted to built for speed and movement.

‘I think this time he wants to be built for speed and power. He wants to lean on Jermaine Franklin and go through him like a train.

‘He never trains for a specific weight but the training that he has done and the work that he has done should bring a wrecking ball performance tomorrow night.’

Hearn went on to say that AJ’s career heaviest weight shows he is intending to be aggressive tomorrow night.

Hearn said: ‘I think that people have criticised him in the past for not being aggressive enough.

‘I think the heavier weight should tell you he is ready to be aggressive in this fight. When he comes in lighter, it’s more about movement and speed.

‘I think when he comes in heavier it’s more with the intention of causing damage and go to work earlier.’

Eddie Hearn backed AJ to put in a ‘wrecking ball’ performance’ and felt he was in similar shape for his famous victory over Wladimir Klitschko in 2017

When asked whether AJ will be looking to use his additional power to bring an early stoppage, Hearn said: ‘I think he’ll be calm. He’s not going to come out like a madman.

‘But, if he sees the opportunity, he will go for it and I think that’s what he’s got to try and do.

‘When he hurts Jermaine Franklin and when he stings him, he has to back it up and throw brutal fast combinations that we know Anthony Joshua can do.

‘That’s the exciting Anthony Joshua that we love. I don’t think anyone in boxing can stand up to that speed and combination when he lets his hands go.’