Joshua vs Pulev: Kubrat Pulev angered Anthony Joshua with ‘amazing’ taunt ahead of world title fight
Written by News on 11/12/2020
Kubrat Pulev revealed how he told Anthony Joshua “I’m amazing” to provoke a furious reaction ahead of their world heavyweight title fight.
The Bulgarian challenger incited an angry exchange with Joshua at the weigh-in for Saturday’s fight at The SSE Arena in Wembley, live on Sky Sports Box Office.
Pulev continued to shout loudly at Joshua, even after they had been separated by security, and insisted that he wanted to let Britain’s unified champion know that he is a superior fighter.
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“Olympic champion, world champion. I respect him so much, but I’m a better boxer and tomorrow I show him,” Pulev said. “That’s what I tell him, ‘Because I’m amazing’.
“I think he didn’t like that.”
Pulev denied that he attempted to gain a psychological edge, telling Sky Sports: “This is not my motivation, but I just wanted to tell him, because I’m much better than him and I’m amazing.
“Amazing boxing, amazing style, I’ll show the whole world tomorrow that I am much better than him. That’s it, easy.
“I don’t hate him, or something bad, no. I tell him three times, four times, five times, I respect him.
“Yesterday he said he was hungry. This is not true. He don’t need to fight with me, but I respect that he takes this fight.”
Promoter Eddie Hearn says Joshua promised to inflict a punishing defeat on Pulev during a fiery face-off.
“That was probably the most intense weigh-in I’ve seen in Anthony Joshua’s career so far,” Hearn told Sky Sports.
“Pulev was goading him while he walked up the stairs, goading him from the scales. He just reacted and he was ready to go right there.
“Both guys in great shape, both guys came in optimal weight. You have a classic heavyweight world championship fight tomorrow night and now with even more spite, even more importance.
“It was cold. Sometimes you drag a fighter off the scales and they are shaking from a head-to-head with adrenaline. This was cold. Pulev kept saying to him, ‘I’m better than you, I will show you tomorrow night.’
“AJ didn’t like it, he wanted to say his bit back and he said, ‘Tomorrow night I’ll humble you and I will knock you out.'”
Watch Joshua vs Pulev on Saturday, live on Sky Sports Box Office, from 6pm. Book it via your Sky remote or book it online here. Even if you aren’t a Sky TV subscriber you can book and watch it here.
(c) Sky Sports 2020: Joshua vs Pulev: Kubrat Pulev angered Anthony Joshua with ‘amazing’ taunt ahead of world title fight
