Anthony Joshua says he now has a “warrior mindset” and insisted that he has eradicated past mistakes as the clock winds down towards a fight with Bulgarian brute Kubrat Pulev.
Joshua who is the current World heavyweight champion puts his IBF, WBA, and WBO titles on the line against Pulev on Saturday.
The bout comes a year after winning his rematch following his shock loss to Andy Ruiz Jr and Pulev will find out the hard way.
“Sometimes when things are going well you keep working on your strengths,” Joshua said.
“After my loss in New York?”
“What people call weaknesses, I call strengths that I haven’t identified yet.”
“I saw the strengths I hadn’t identified – what [other people] call weaknesses. I enhanced them, improved them.”
“Now there aren’t any chinks in my armour.”
“I’ve worked a lot on honing my craft.”
“This will be a tough fight but I need to retain my belts. I have a warrior mindset.”
“In my mind, nothing else is important apart from Pulev. That is my focus.”
If Joshua can dispatch Pulev on Saturday, a fight against WBC champion Tyson Fury for the undisputed championship will be in the loop in 2021.
Both Joshua and Pulev looked lean and fit at Wednesday evening’s workouts – the challenger shadow-boxed for several minutes but the champion went through a far more ominous routine.
Joshua’s trainer Rob McCracken said about Pulev: “He is slim, he has lost weight, his fitness levels look good so he might come on the front foot. But he is a boxer who puts pressure on behind the jab. He is a top-class heavyweight.”
Pulev said: “Saturday is the most important day of my life. I trained since I was 12, I became a champion in Bulgaria when I was 14.”
“This is my dream, this was the dream of my father.”
“Knockout? I just need this win. I want to do it for my father, for my country, for Bulgarian sport. Not just for me.”
