Joshua promises 'smart and wise' performance

The IBF and WBA 'super' heavyweight champion believes he proved his toughness by outlasting Wladimir Klitschko in a back-and-forth fight earlier this year, but now wants to exhibit new skills on October 28 at Cardiff's Principality Stadium, live on Sky Sports Box Office.

"I'm looking forward to expressing a different approach to my boxing skill," Joshua said on Monday at his pre-fight press conference alongside Pulev. "That was a new experience that I went through in my last fight [against Klitschko].

"Now I'll show what I learned from my last fight when I get the chance on October 28. It's about finesse, it's about out-classing your opponent. But if I need to go to war, then I'll go to war. But I could do it with ease, as well.

"It's about what [type of] fight the [opponent] brings to the table. Sometimes I can be smart and wise, and take an opponent out without taking too much punishment.

"Sometimes you have to go to the trenches. That's something that can't be taught. That's part of your character. We showed that we've got that in abundance.

"As soon as the fight was over on April 29, the question was: what's next?"

Pulev is the mandatory challenger to Joshua's IBF title but with commitments lingering to next fight the WBA's equivalent, the unified champion has no intention of vacating either belt.

"We ain't ducking, we're firing back," Joshua said. "We want to keep these belts and, to do that, you have to fight the good fighters. They are stepping stones. Each challenge that presents itself is another hurdle."

Joshua also said that he wouldn't have any trouble rediscovering the excitement of his Wembley win over Klitschko.

"It's no problem to get energised," he said. "We haven't taken our foot off the gas since 2008 - it's been championship after championship. Here we go again."

Meanwhile, Joshua's trainer Rob McCracken claimed that they would improve upon the flaws on display against Klitschko.

McCracken said: "Anthony is learning and developing constantly as a fighter.

"It's about Pulev - his strengths, his weaknesses and trying to exploit them. Anthony is a quick learner - he knows the mistakes he made in the Klitschko fight."