Joshua refuses to take experienced Takam lightly
ByPA Sport
Updated 28/10/2017 at 13:35 GMT
Anthony Joshua is wary of Carlos Takam's admission he has learnt from his previous defeats.
Anthony Joshua looks on
Image credit: Getty Images
On Saturday the Frenchman, 36, becomes the latest challenger to Joshua's IBF and WBA heavyweight titles having replaced the injured Kubrat Pulev with less than a fortnight to spare.
He previously lost a non-title fight against WBO champion Joseph Parker, having been stopped by Russia's Alexander Povetkin and outpointed by the little-known Gregory Tony before then, but insists they have helped him progress.
Takam this week said the mistakes made in his fight preparations contributed to his defeat by Parker, and the 28-year-old Joshua said:
Providing he's learnt from his losses as he says he has, it should be a tricky fight. From mistakes you have to learn - that's what makes a good man - so he's definitely learnt from it. He's been knocking at the door of a world title for a while, and he's got another opportunity: he might not lie down as easy because he might think, 'This is another opportunity I don't want to give up'. These are all the things that run through your head. But only Takam at that time can decide where he's going to go. Even though he may have learnt a million things, if I can go in there and make it look easy and strip him of everything he's learnt, that's what will make it a good fight.
The champion, who said he had not worked to be heavier despite on Friday tipping the scales at a career-high 18st 2lbs, also said he would not immediately celebrate should he succeed in knocking Takam down.
After his fifth-round knockdown of Wladimir Klitschko, he raised his hands as though confident victory had already been secured, before watching the Ukrainian recover and inflict the first knockdown of his career in the sixth.
Joshua regardless responded to win in the 11th, but asked if he would do the same again, said: "No. I don't know: that was emotion, I don't even remember doing it to be honest. It was probably that right hand in the sixth!"
Takam looked in similarly good shape when he weighed in at 16st 11lbs, and he said:
When I heard the news about the fight I was already preparing. I invite you to see what will happen. It's going to be a great fight. I'm coming to beat him.
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