Kubrat Pulev has delivered a stern warning to his upcoming opponent Anthony Joshua – promising to knock him out in a similar fashion to his shock defeat against Andy Ruiz Jr last year.
Joshua was shocked and shaken by the Mexican in June 2018 as he delivered a seventh-round stoppage to claim his four world title belts, before the British star won them back immediately after a dominant points win in Saudi Arabia months later.
He now has his sights on an epic undisputed contest against fellow Brit Tyson Fury next year, but will first have to get past the Bulgarian in their bout scheduled for the end of this year. But Pulev has vowed ‘surprise the whole world’ and bring the Watford-born star crashing back down to earth.
He is a very good boxer for sure, a world champion and he has had a lot of good fights,’ he told Betway Insider. ‘But I see a lot of problems in his style and his boxing and I think I can use every small opening and I can beat him. I do think he has a problem with psychology.
“I think the fight has the same ending as with Andy Ruiz. I know that I will surprise the whole world with this fight. I will show boxing fans across the world that Joshua will go down because we will be bringing war.”
Many of Joshua’s rivals have been spurred on by watching his crushing loss to Ruiz Jr last year, believing he highlighted a list of weaknesses to his game.
But he delivered a masterclass in the rematch in December to become a two-time world champion and keep himself in line for some major fights. Should he come through the contest against Pulev, he will likely take on the winner of the Tyson Fury v Deontay Wilder trilogy as he seeks to claim all five belts.
He was slated to fight Pulev in April at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium before the coronavirus pandemic forced the contest to be delayed – with promoters on both sides being forced to reschedule and search for a new venue.
