Joshua wants to show new skills against old pro Pulev
Anthony Joshua is “ready to go to war in the trenches” against Bulgarian Kubrat Pulev in a defence of the World Boxing Association, International Boxing Federation and International Boxing Organisation heavyweight titles in Cardiff on Oct 28 but would prefer to show “finesse” after his see-saw meeting with Wladimir Klitschko, which he won in April.
For his part, Pulev, a rugged 36-year-old, threatened to make it “a street fight” when Cardiff hosts its biggest night of boxing since Joe Calzaghe fought Mikkel Kessler for three of the four world super middleweight belts in November 2007.
Joshua, who came face to face with Pulev for the first time in Cardiff yesterday at a low-key news conference, said: “I’m looking forward to expressing a different approach to my boxing skills, to show what I learnt from my last fight. If I have to go to war, I will, but I can also be wise and take the opponent out without going into the trenches. It’s about finesse, outclassing your opponents. Sometimes we do have to go to the trenches. We saw that in the last fight.”
Speaking through a translator, Pulev said: “I know the match will be terrifying [as a spectacle]. I’m very experienced, and I’m mentally and physically ready for this fight. But it is not just in the ring where I am experienced. I have experience fighting on the streets, which is another advantage. As a man, I love challenges. It makes me alive.”
Promoter Eddie Hearn is confident that 80,000 tickets will be sold for the Principality Stadium. The roof will be closed, which would make it a record indoor crowd for a heavyweight world title.
Hearn has added two other world titles to the card. Ireland’s Katie Taylor, record 6-0, will fight for a world title, as the five-time world amateur champion and London 2012 gold medallist will face WBA lightweight champion Anahi Esther Sanchez. Birmingham’s Kal Yafai will also defend his WBA world super-flyweight title against the unbeaten mandatory challenger Sho Ishida.