{"id":69370,"date":"2017-10-26T18:32:14","date_gmt":"2017-10-26T23:32:14","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/?p=69370"},"modified":"2017-10-27T21:50:18","modified_gmt":"2017-10-28T02:50:18","slug":"anthony-joshua-carlos-takam-press-conference-heats-up-breaking-boxing-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/?p=69370","title":{"rendered":"Anthony Joshua – Carlos Takam Press Conference HEATS UP – Breaking Boxing News"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Photo Credit Esther Lin\/SHOWTIME<\/strong><\/p>\n

Unified Heavyweight World Champion Anthony Joshua and IBF mandatory challenger Carlos Takam faced off at the National Museum in Cardiff on Thursday during the final press conference for their heavyweight blockbuster this Saturday live on SHOWTIME from sold-out Principality Stadium.<\/p>\n

Joshua and Takam will square off in front of an all-time indoor boxing record of 78,000 fans on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING beginning at 5 p.m. ET\/2 p.m. PT in the U.S.<\/p>\n

Joshua (19-0, 19 KOs) returns for the first time since unifying the heavyweight division via knockout in a leading Fight of the Year thriller with long-reigning kingpin Wladimir Klitschko this past April.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re going to have to put that Klitschko win to the side at some stage because boxing is unforgiving,\u201d Joshua said on Thursday. \u201cThat was that. This is now. Carlos is a completely different animal than Klitschko.<\/p>\n

\u201cWho knows what\u2019s going to happen in that ring Saturday. This division is unpredictable. You saw I got tired in the fifth round against Klitschko. Am I going to find out I\u2019m only a five round fighter? Takam is tough and can go the distance. He\u2019s definitely going to take me into late waters and that\u2019s where it\u2019s going to be interesting.\u201d<\/p>\n

Takam (35-3-1, 27 KOs) has experience in close bouts with reigning WBO Heavyweight Champion Joseph Parker and former challenger Alexander Povetkin. The 2004 Olympian from Cameroon enters the contest having boxed more than three times the professional rounds as Joshua.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy experience will help me win the fight,\u201d Takam said. \u201cI\u2019ve been in there with a champion. When we get in the ring it\u2019s just two fighters. Only at the end of the fight will we know who the real world champion is.<\/p>\n

\u201cI saw Joshua go down. I saw he has a weak point, and we\u2019ve been working on targeting that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joshua and Takam meet 24 years after Lennox Lewis and Frank Bruno squared off in the first all-British heavyweight world championship in front of more than 25,000 fans at the National Stadium in Cardiff. There will be more than 78,000 at the new National Stadium \u2013 Principality Stadium \u2013 on Saturday.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s what the fighters had to say on Thursday:<\/p>\n

Anthony Joshua<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cFighting is all I do. It\u2019s all I know. It\u2019s an honor to be defending these belts. I don\u2019t always like to talk about the belts because I\u2019ve always been a fighter before that and I\u2019ve always had the ambition of being a talented fighter before I became champion. I\u2019m just looking forward to getting in the ring and handling business.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re going to have to put that Klitschko win to the side at some stage because boxing is unforgiving. That was that. This is now. Carlos is a completely different animal than Klitschko.<\/p>\n

\u201cI do know that I\u2019m willing to do whatever it takes to win. In terms of style, technique and preparation, it\u2019s completely different. Every camp is completely different. My mindset is completely different. All will be revealed Saturday. Best of luck to both men and the best man will win.<\/p>\n

\u201c[Trainer Rob McCracken] has never just trained me for one style of opponent. He\u2019s trained me to be the best me. He\u2019s trained me to be ready, to be fit, to be focused and to adapt new skills to my boxing. No matter who my opponent is, I\u2019ll always be in good condition to compete against any champion or any contender in the world.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re in the business of providing really good fights. We\u2019re not here to tip and tap and run for 12 rounds. We\u2019re here to get stuck in.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know what it\u2019s like to be the non-champion fighting for a championship. When there\u2019s that pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, it\u2019s going to be competitive. This is heavyweight championship boxing. Both of us are on the same elite level so you\u2019re going to see an elite fight.<\/p>\n

\u201cWho knows what\u2019s going to happen in that ring Saturday. This division is unpredictable. You saw I got tired in the fifth round against Klitschko. Am I going to find out I\u2019m only a five round fighter? Takam is tough and can go the distance. He\u2019s definitely going to take me into late waters and that\u2019s where it\u2019s going to be interesting.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith [Takam\u2019s] style and his strength, I wish I came into this fight heavier so we could just stand there and slug it out with each other. Why\u2019d I come in lighter? I thought I was fighting Pulev \u2013 a real amateur-style boxer. I had to stay off the line, jab with him and match his speed. Takam is a completely different style of fighter so I might have come in a bit heavier if I knew I was fighting Takam.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m just a reflection of hard work. The UK boxing scene is quite grassroots. I still go to my amateur club. Just before this championship fight, I was training with all the amateurs \u2013 kids that were just 10 years-old. You can only achieve what you see, so when they\u2019re training with Olympians and professional World Champions, they\u2019re inspired. That\u2019s real nice to be the champion and still keep it real training with the grassroots athletes.\u201d<\/p>\n

Carlos Takam<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cMy experience will help me win the fight. I\u2019ve been in there with a champion. When we get in the ring it\u2019s just two fighters. Only at the end of the fight will we know who the real world champion is.<\/p>\n

\u201cI saw Joshua go down. I saw he has a weak point, and we\u2019ve been working on targeting that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m going to box my way. I\u2019m going to come forward, fight my fight.<\/p>\n

\u201cI believe in myself. I\u2019m confined. It wouldn\u2019t be a shock if I won because of the confidence I have.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I heard about the fight, I was already in preparation for another fight so I had to completely change the way I trained to be ready for this fight. I\u2019m coming out on the 28th to win the fight.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll I can do is invite you to see the outcome of the fight on the 28th. I\u2019m coming out to win.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know it\u2019s going to be a great fight. This will change my life in boxing but not from the person I am.\u201d<\/p>\n