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Anthony Joshua Gives ‘Soul Crushing’ Assessment on Kubrat Pulev Fight

Published 12/05/2020, 10:20 AM EST

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Heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua has said what he thinks will be the difference between himself and Kubrat Pulev. The Englishman will take on Pulev in yet another blockbuster boxing event on December 12. And ‘AJ’ seems to be confident when giving his assessment of how the fight will pan out. It will be another difficult test for Joshua, who is gearing up for a busy 2021. However, this is how he thinks the fight will go.

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Speaking to ESPN UK on YouTube ahead of the fight, Joshua explains why this fight is different to his last. He said, “I don’t think the same tactics against Pulev. Two different style of fighters. One small, stocky, very grounded, looking for big counter shots. One, upright, rangy-boxer, looks to go down the middle.” Thus, he confirmed that he can not approach the fight the same way he did the Andy Ruiz Jr. rematch.

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Joshua explained what will be the defining aspect. He said, “I think we’re both technically good, me and Pulev. But this is a matter of the mind, like who’s going to dominate the fight. Who’s got more… who’s going to crush the other one’s soul.” He also added, “Me and Ruiz were so different that it was a matter of tactics… Me and Pulev are very evenly matched in tactics so it’s just about mindset.”

READ: Anthony Joshua Does Not Respect Kubrat Pulev as a Person But as a Fighter

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Why Kubrat Pulev will be another tough test for Anthony Joshua.

Pulev is a very under-rated fighter and possesses a lot of experience in the ring. He has only ever lost one fight, and that was to Wladimir Klitschko. So it will not be an easy fight for Joshua by any means. And critics have already said that Pulev will beat Joshua. However, what makes it so difficult is the way the Bulgarian approaches his fights.

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He walks down his opponents and looks to trade hard punches, while also being able to take a fair bit of damage. So the Englishman will either have to beat him with more power, or outbox him for 12 rounds. This is what makes the fight so interesting; as Joshua rightly said, both fighters are similar, and it’s a toss-up as to who comes out on top.

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Written by:

Leonardo Carvalho

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Leonardo Carvalho is a Boxing Writer for EssentiallySports. Before working as a boxing web journalist, Leonardo dabbled in roles ranging from an SEO specialist to a Chegg expert. Alongside his current role, Leonardo runs a YouTube channel where he combines his passion for fitness with sports.
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