Eddie Hearn has revealed Anthony Joshua might be a stone lighter for his world heavyweight title defence against Carlos Takam in Cardiff next weekend.

The 28-year-old will put the belt he won against Wladimir Klitschko back in April on the line when he faces Cameroon-born Takam in the Welsh capital. 

Joshua weighed in at 17st 12lbs 2oz, prior to his victory over Klitschko at Wembley and Hearn believes that this time around he will be much lighter - a factor which could give him the edge at the Principality Stadium. 

"Josh is hitting very hard," Hearn told Sky Sports. "You're going to see him come in lighter in this fight.

"I think he could be 10 pounds, even a stone lighter than he was in the Klitschko fight.

"You're going to see him extra fast, with extra spite. As far as I'm concerned the most exciting fighter in world boxing, ready to do the business next Saturday."

Joshua was all set to fight with Kubrat Pulev, but the Bulgarian pulled out of the event, with Takam coming in to challenge Joshua as a replacement. 

Speaking about the ad-hoc nature of the build-up, Hearn revealed he was the one who broke the news to AJ.

"I actually told him about Pulev's injury after some tough session that he just had in the gym," he added.

"It was probably the worst time to call him, and I phoned him up and he had the right hump.

"He knows Takam. Takam has called him out before. He followed him to his hotel room once in London after his fight with Breazeale.

"He knows about Takam and I think when he's started to analyse it, he was quite excited, because I think he felt the Pulev fight would be quite fiddly, whereas Josh likes to have a tear-up.

"I think you are going to get that against Takam because he's going to come out and he's going to let his hands go."