Anthony Joshua warned Kubrat Pulev ‘there aren’t any chinks’ in his armour and that his ‘warrior’s mindset’ will see him prevail ahead of their heavyweight world title clash.
Joshua will step back through the ropes for the first time in a year when he puts his WBA, WBO and IBF belts on the line against Pulev on Saturday night.
The Bulgarian, whose only previous world title tilt ended in a knockout defeat against Wladimir Klitschko, has repeatedly insisted he has the superior mental strength and vowed to ‘expose’ AJ like Andy Ruiz Jr did in their first fight.
Anthony Joshua has insisted Kubrat Pulev won’t be able to find any chinks in his armour
Joshua looked in supreme fighting condition at Wednesday night’s workout session
But Joshua is adamant that he has evolved as a fighter and eradicated any past mistakes, having jabbed and moved his way to redemption in his rematch against Ruiz in Saudi Arabia last year.
Speaking ahead of Saturday’s world title defence, Joshua said: ‘Sometimes when things are going well you keep working on your strengths.
‘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.’
Pulev has insisted throughout the build-up that he will expose Joshua’s mental weakness
The Bulgarian is confident he can emulate what Andy Ruiz Jr did to Joshua in their first fight
But AJ warned Pulev that he has got a ‘warrior’s mindset’ ahead of Saturday’s world title clash
A fight against Tyson Fury for the undisputed heavyweight crown next year looms if Joshua can get past the challenge of Pulev.
Both Joshua and Pulev looked in supreme fighting condition at Wednesday evening’s workouts – and the Bulgarian challenger is convinced it will be his night on Saturday.
He added: ‘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.
‘I am ready. I know this is my time. I wanted this fight, I waited a long time for it.’