For most people, the story heading into Anthony Joshua vs Kubrat Pulev this weekend is the return to the ring of AJ. Anthony Joshua, the WBO, WBA (super), IBF and IBO heavyweight champion of the world gets back in the ring 12 months on from his last outing where he regained his titles against Andy Ruiz Jr. The British boxer will face Kubrat Pulev this weekend. But his Bulgarian opponent is far from an afterthought this weekend. Pulev, Joshua’s mandatory challenge has lost just once in 29 outings and that sole defeat came to Wladimir Klitschko back in 2014. In the six years since, Pulev went away and collected eight straight victories and he’s earned his shot at AJ. “After the win, I’m going to be really, really happy,” said Pulev to Matchroom Boxing. “This fight for me is for all Bulgarian sports boxing. Nobody was the heavyweight champion of the world, and that’s why for me, it’ll be really good.” When asked about the kind of Joshua he will see across the ring from him, Pulev was far more concerned with himself. “We’ll be good. I think we’ll see; I don’t know. It’s not important to me. What’s more important is how I am on Saturday,” continued the Bulgarian. “When I’m good, I beat him very good. I think I’m really good, strong, and with a lot of power. I have much power; I’m very strong now.” It’s widely known Joshua and Fury have agreed in principle to fight each other twice in 2021. Ideally, that’s for all the heavyweight belts, but Pulev has other ideas. “I don’t believe that fight is going to happen because I win on Saturday,” he finished. “We see a lot of mistakes from Anthony. A lot of bad side and I think these mistakes, these bad sides stay. And I take and I will be good. “For me, it’s important what I do in the ring and how I prepare, how is my strategy, how is my boxing. This is important. The fans supporting him doesn’t matter to me, what is important is what I do in the ring, how I prepare, what is my strategy, my boxing, this is important. “This will be a big thing for me because I will be not only happy, I will be happy for the people and I think the world needs a new world champion like me."
Source: talkSport