Anthony Joshua told fans to expect ‘fireworks’ during his fight with Carlos Takam in the final press conference before Saturday’s bout.
Joshua said the combination of his and Takam’s style will ensure fans in Cardiff get their money’s worth ahead of the much-anticipated heavyweight fight.
The 28-year-old compared his opponent’s build to a former sparring partner and believes Takam’s technique will make for a more entertaining fight than if he were fighting Kubrat Pulev, as originally planned.
Anthony Joshua predicts it will be an exciting fight against Carlos Takam on Saturday night
Joshua towered over his opponent as they squared up at the final pre-fight press conference
‘It’s probably a more enticing fight [than it would have been against Pulev],’ Joshua told Sky Sports’ press conference. ‘I spar my cousin Benga and he’s just like Takam’s build. I think our styles will create some real good fireworks’.
‘Cardiff is looking really good and it’s good to be fighting here again,’ added Joshua. ‘[Fighting] is all I do, it’s all I know and it’s an honour to be defending these belts. I’m just looking forward to getting back to business’.
‘The fans are always going to be the winners in this division now because hungry guys are coming. Takam wants to perform in the ring and it’s the same with me.
‘I always say, the belt isn’t always representation of me… the belts get taken out of the ring after, I can’t fight with them on my shoulder. I’ve got a challenge in my mind, I keep my feet on the ground. I’m still hungry’.
The boxers were speaking ahead of their fight at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium on Saturday
The boxers were speaking ahead of Saturday’s fight at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium which sees Joshua defend his WBA, IBF and IBO heavyweight titles against Takam.
Takam stepped in as a late replacement after Joshua’s original opponent, Bulgaria’s Pulev, pulled out due to injury.
The Cameroon-born boxer holds a 35-3-1 win-loss-draw record from his 39 fights across his professional career, which began in December 2005.
Joshua descibed Takam as a ‘better all round fighter’ than Pulev and said the stand-in opponent represents a ‘more dangerous’ test.
‘This is a more dangerous fight than Pulev would have been,’ Joshua said earlier this month. ‘Takam weighs 22 stones. He’s a better all round fighter and I’ e been preparing to box someone totally different.
‘Takam is incredibly durable and will be harder to knock out, but when Pulev got hurt the other day there were only two answers to the situation. We could cancel the show, which would have been a disaster for everyone. Or we carry on.’