Anthony Joshua's promoter Eddie Hearn has rubbished suggestions his man was knocked out in sparring by Daniel Dubois.

Joshua and Dubois will meet at Wembley next weekend with the former attempting to become a three-time heavyweight world champion. But the Olympic champion has been plagued by rumours he was badly hurt when he sparred a 19-year-old Dubois early in his career.

And Hearn has responded to those claims by telling iFL TV : "What I heard and what everyone was telling everyone was that AJ got carried out the ring unconscious. That's changed quite a lot to 'he got buzzed by a shot, was out on his feet but they carried on sparring.'

"You do know that if you get hurt in sparring, the sparring stops. So he got hit by a left hook apparently and [Anthony] Fowler says he had a little walk and then they carried on. I don't know what happened during the spar but both guys are massive punchers. The only thing I heard was that AJ got knocked out cold and obviously we knew that wasn't the case at all."

Hearn was referring to former Team GB captain Fowler's recollection of the session which he said left Joshua on unsteady legs. "They were just sparring normally. Dubois was really young so he wasn't really trying to win the rounds," he told talkSPORT. "I wouldn't say he was in survival mode but he wouldn't take many risks.

"He was very cagey sparring Joshua. Obviously, Joshua was the main man on the team so he was always quite wary, but he always punched really hard. Joshua must have been a little clumsy sparring him and he got caught with a short left hook and Joshua's legs completely went. Dubois could have hit him again and put him to sleep but Dubois had a bit too much respect for him to finish him off.

"Obviously, everyone was stood there like 'Wow' and Joshua went and jogged around the ring because his legs were like jelly and he was trying to get his legs back. And everyone was going 'Wait, wait, wait'. Joshua wanted to carry on but Rob McCracken was like 'Have a little break, get your legs back to normal, and then spar' and then they continued sparring. He didn't knock him out, he didn't hit the floor but he was really, really hurt."

Related

Sven Goran-Eriksson's family allow his final words to be published before funeral

Max Verstappen refuses to to rule out Red Bull exit as he makes Aston Martin confession

Eddie Hearn forced to deny Anthony Joshua was knocked out by Daniel Dubois

Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville disagree in Declan Rice debate - 'so harsh'

Young woman seriously injured in car crash warns that speed kills: 'I very nearly didn't make it'

Luke Donald breaks silence as DP World Tour make decision on Jon Rahm's Ryder Cup future

Irish MMA fighter Darragh Kelly facing a massive step up in Wembley debut

Shamrock Rovers have second appeal rejected in Dawson Devoy eligibility case

Tyrone hero says Malachy O'Rourke appointment is 'stunning' and 'brave'

Gordon Ramsay breaks silence on daughter's engagement to Adam Peaty with touching note

Urgent alert issued for popular lunchtime snack sold in Lidl due to presence of 'undeclared gluten'

James Ryan gives his view on losing the Leinster co-captaincy