Joshua vs Pulev: Anthony Joshua launches a battle cry when he reaches ‘the bubble’ | Boxing news

Anthony Joshua: “It’s a special occasion to see a 1,000-person heavyweight championship fight when there would normally be tens of thousands of people”; AJ fights Kubrat Pulev on Saturday, live on Sky Sports Box Office

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Joshua ‘ready for war’ when he arrives for the Pulev fight

Anthony Joshua growled that he has focused on training his “brain more than my body” in his first appearance in the days leading up to his defense of the world heavyweight title.

Joshua’s IBF, WBA and WBO championships are on the line against Kubrat Pulev on Saturday, live Sky Sports ticket office, and both fighters are now in ‘the bubble’ as the intensity increases.

Joshua, wrapped in a mask and a hood, said Sky Sports News upon arrival: “My body is just a container that my brain carries, so I train my brain more than my body.

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Joshua performs his coronavirus test

Can Kubrat Pulev make AJ fall?

“I am ready for war. I am ready for fight. The time will come when we go to war. I am looking forward to that date.”

“It is a privilege to compete.”

For the first time since the resumption of boxing in the UK, 1,000 fans will be on hand on Saturday to watch Joshua’s first fight since avenging his loss to Andy Ruiz Jr.

“How weird? It’s out of my control so I have to keep it normal,” Joshua said of the unique environment that awaits him.

“I like it, it will be intimate. It’s good for the fans. It’s a special occasion to watch a 1,000-person heavyweight championship fight when there would normally be tens of thousands of people.”

When AJ was rocked by Pulev’s ‘storm’

Joshua was supposed to trade blows with Kubrat Pulev in October 2017; this is the story of the build-up and the aftermath of a fight that didn’t happen.

‘AJ was agile and sharp in combat’

Fabio Wardley said of the world heavyweight champion’s sparring: “I was quite surprised by that, for someone his size, how light he was on his feet. How fluid he was, going in and out of range.

“I’ve trained a lot of big guys and I’m usually the fastest on my feet, and I can usually get in and out. He was very equal to me on that, which impressed me a lot.”

Watch Joshua vs Pulev on Saturday, live at the Sky Sports Box Office, starting at 6pm. Book via your Sky remote or book online here. Even if you are not subscribed to Sky TV, you can reserve and watch it here