The charismatic Kubrat Pulev (28-1, 14 KOs) says he feels like he’s being underestimated by Anthony Joshua (23-1, 21 KOs) ahead of their fight this Saturday night on December 12th at the SSE Arena in Wembley, London.
Joshua, 30, and Pulev will be fighting on DAZN in the United States on Sky Box Office PPV in the UK.
The price for the fight is £24.95 for British boxing fans, which is the same amount they paid for the much bigger match between Joshua and Andy Ruiz Jr last year in December.
According to his promoter Eddie Hearn, fans need to get used to the £24.95 because it’s going to stay at that level moving forward for Joshua’s fights. However, when Joshua eventually faces Tyson Fury, the price will shoot up to £29.95.
Joshua and his promoter Eddie Hearn have opened talked of Tyson Fury fight that they’re looking forward to in early 2021, and it’s pretty obvious that they view the IBF mandatory challenger Pulev as little more than a tall speed bump.
Hearn has frequently talked of wanting WBC heavyweight champion Fury (30-0-1, 21 KOs) to sit at ringside for the Joshua vs. Pulev fight.
That means Hearn is hoping to start selling the Joshua vs. Fury right away after the contest on Saturday, assuming AJ wins.
Pulev can’t help but feel slighted by Joshua and Hearn because they’re just assuming that the victory is in the bag, and they can start planning the promotion of the Joshua-Fury beginning this Saturday night.
Pulev says Joshua underestimating him
“I’m happy this fight is a fact,” said Kubrat Pulev. “I learned a lot of things from that time. Three years is a lot of experience or me,” Pulev said about him missing out on facing Joshua in 2017 after suffering an injury during training camp.
“I do two or three fights. This is more experience for me, and I’m happy. This fight is a fact because I want it.
“It doesn’t matter, he’s a good fighter, and I must win,” Pulev said in brushing off Joshua’s loss to Andy Ruiz Jr last year.
“I like it because he’s underestimating me,” Pulev said about Joshua talking up a fight against Tyson Fury. “I believe a little bit, maybe.”
It’s an understatement by Pulev that Joshua is underestimating him, and he could pay a heavy price for that. Joshua has likely been reading too many comments from his boxing fans on social media, who are giving the 6’4 1/2″ Pulev no chance of winning the fight.
Kubrat predicting knockout of Joshua
“I think Tyson Fury,” Pulev said when asked who is the better fighter between Joshua and Fury. “We see his last two fights were good.
“I believe, I know,” Pulev said when asked if he’ll knockout Joshua. “I know I win. How? Nobody can say. I want to just win, and I’m here to win and I’m prepared to win. I’m going to do it.
“Not so much,” Pulev said when asked if Joshua has improved from the two Ruiz fights. “I don’t think so.”
It makes sense for Pulev to be predicting a knockout of Joshua because that’s probably his only shot at winning the fight. Since he’s fighting on Joshua’s home turf in London, you got to believe that if it goes to the scorecards, AJ will win.
Pulev has a better jab and boxing skills than Joshua, but it’s going to be hard for him to win a decision given the match’s location.
Going on the recent performances by Joshua and Fury in their last two fights, it’s clear that ‘The Gypsy King’ is the better fighter of the two.
Joshua looks fragile mentally and physically. Hence, we saw him looking frightened in his rematch with Andy Ruiz Jr last December.