You know you’re big when you get your own press conference entrance, as Anthony Joshua does here:
On Saturday, he says, it’s back to the ‘Lion’s Den’:
The IBF heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua (16-0, 16 KOs) and fellow unbeaten American challenger Dominic Breazeale (17-0, 15 KOs) were participating in their final press conference on Thursday at Sky Sports Studios in London, just two days before their showdown this Saturday.
Anthony Joshua said: “You’re in my jungle now. There’s no pressure on me.
“Once that bell goes, you can’t hide the instinct, the instinct that you want to get someone out of there. I hope I can go in there, stay relaxed and do what I plannedYou to do. But once that bell rings something just comes over you and you want to get him out of there ASAP.
“There will always be pressure. But look, it’s always been the same concept: Train hard – it’s the same ring. It hasn’t changed.
“I’ve got nothing to lose. I’ve always explained let’s get rid of the belts, the atmosphere, because when the bell goes it’s just me and him in the ring. Two gladiators, two respectful warriors coming together. We’re going to slug it out and put our 0s on the line.”
“I’m prepared, Dominic is prepared well, and one of us has to take a loss.
“Each fight is a stepping stone to the big tests. I want to look like the real deal.”
“I think we’re in the golden era of boxing again.”
Dominic Breazeale said: “I respect you as a fighter, but I’m going to beat you. I’ve got to beat the best of the best.”
“I can’t wait, it’s been an opportunity I’ve been waiting eight years for this. It’s an opportunity of a lifetime and I’m ready for this.
“Expect fireworks. We’ll be going round for round, punch for punch and I expect to knock out Joshua.”
“I got a big right hand, I have a big left hook. I stand 6-foot-7, 255 pounds. I’m unorthodox – I’m a guy that can fight on the inside, I’m a guy that can take a punch, I’m a guy that can give a punch. So if any one of those given things show up on Saturday night I’m getting a knockout, for sure.
“It’s a major advantage just for me to have Anthony Joshua the whole time. I don’t want him at any given point for him to feel like he’s in his comfort zone, his own backyard or his own little lion’s den.
“That’s what I came across the pond to do. I came across the pond to get my belt and take it back home with me.
“It’s my Super Bowl. Being a former football player, this is my Super Bowl.”
“Everybody keeps comparing me to Charles Martin, the only thing that we have in common is that we’re both American. We have a completely different fight style, different goals in life.
“I’m a big puncher, so is Anthony Joshua. He has the belt and I intend to have it on Saturday night.”
For the full Anthony Joshua-Dominic Breazeale preview don’t miss the latest edition of Boxing News magazine
