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SPORTS Friday 11 december 2020
Joshua defending titles vs Pulev with Fury fight on horizon

By STEVE DOUGLAS "It's not the fight I want. I'd
AP Sports Writer rather have a nice warmup
Anthony Joshua has never fight before because I've
been so close to a shot at been out of the game for
being the undisputed world a year."
heavyweight champion. The 31-year-old Joshua was
The WBA, IBF, WBO belts are once regarded as a knock-
back in his possession. An out machine — the first 18
agreement in principle has fights of his pro career didn't
been reached with Tyson go beyond seven rounds
Fury, the WBC champion, and he got off the canvas
for a two-fight deal in 2021 to knock out Klitschko in
to unify the titles in an all- the 19th — but he has met
British blockbuster. craftier opponents and be-
Nothing is ever straightfor- come more measured and
ward in boxing — espe- disciplined in his approach
cially when arranging what to recent fights, picking his
would be one of the big- moments to attack.
gest fights in a generation, Two of his last three wins,
perhaps the biggest ever against Joseph Parker and
in Britain — but it appears Ruiz Jr., went to the judges.
there's one major obstacle Against Ruiz Jr. in Saudi,
in the way of an eagerly Joshua relied on his longer
awaited Joshua-Fury bout reach to stay clear of trou-
next year. ble and was almost running
Kubrat Pulev. around the ring away from
A robust, hardened the American in the final
39-year-old Bulgarian, Pu- In this file photo dated Sunday Dec. 8, 2019, Britain's Anthony Joshua celebrates after beating round with victory in the
lev will get the chance to Andy Ruiz Jr. to win their World Heavyweight Championship contest at the Diriyah Arena, Riyadh, bag.
blow a turbulent heavy- Saudi Arabia. So, what version of Joshua
weight division wide open Associated Press will we see on Saturday?
again when he fights Josh- "I'm prepared for it to go to
ua at Wembley Arena in not been signed. Hearn to developing his ability to lev, who is known for hav- the final bell," Joshua said
London on Saturday as a has talked about how the show the "sweet science" of ing a relentless jab and a in Thursday's pre-fight news
mandatory challenger. purse will be split, possible the sport. Ahead of Pulev, tough chin, as a "tricky cus- conference. "I feel like I'm
It will be his second world locations for the fight — the he has taken some advice tomer." a 15-round fighter, not a
title fight — he lost to Wladi- Middle East or London ap- from Klitschko — he has "He's not going to be an 12-round fighter.
mir Klitschko in 2014 for pear favorites — and how even started wrapping his easy fight, it's a banana "If it needs to go to 12
what remains his only pro- it is the fight all boxing fans hands methodically before skin," Joshua said. "I'm at rounds, I will be more than
fessional defeat — and a have been waiting for. workouts like the long-time a level now where I can't capable to carry my stam-
belated shot at Joshua, "I am as close to 100% as I heavyweight champion take easy fights or warmup ina, to carry my boxing IQ,
having been forced to pull can be that the Fury fight from Ukraine used to do. fights. I've got to roll with my concentration and my
out of a 2017 fight against will happen if AJ wins on Joshua has described Pu- the punches. strength to the final bell."q
the Briton after sustaining Saturday," he said.
a shoulder injury late in his Hearn just needs his main
training camp. man to do the business be- Abdul-Jabbar reveals past prostate
"I like that people are talk- fore the first crowd to at-
ing more about Joshua vs. tend a British boxing fight cancer diagnosis in essay
Fury than Joshua vs. Pulev," during the pandemic.
said Pulev, who is a 7-1 un- Joshua has become used
derdog with some British to selling out Britain's big- NEW YORK (AP) — Kareem
Abdul-Jabbar revealed he
bookmakers. "It is not insult- gest sports venues — Wem-
ing to me … I am happy bley Stadium in London, the had prostate cancer in a
magazine article he wrote
because while he is think- Millennium Stadium in Car- about health risks faced by
ing about fighting some- diff — but only 1,000 fans Blacks.
body else, he is underesti- will be allowed in Wemb- Abdul-Jabbar, the NBA's
mating me." ley Arena for his first home career scoring leader,
Joshua is insisting he is not fight since knocking out provided no other details
looking beyond his immedi- Alexander Povetkin in Sep- about that illness in the
ate opponent, and that he tember 2018. Since then he
is answering any questions has lost his titles in shocking piece he wrote for Web-
about Fury only as a matter fashion to Andy Ruiz Jr., be- MD that first appeared
of courtesy, but there's no fore immediately regaining Wednesday. A publicist for
doubt Saturday's fight takes them in a money-spinning Abdul-Jabbar said this is
the first time he has spoken
place in that bigger con- rematch in Saudi Arabia a publicly about the prostate Kareem Abdul-Jabbar arrives at the ESPY Awards in Los Ange-
text. Joshua's promoter, Ed- year ago that reportedly les, in this July 18, 2018, file photo.
die Hearn, has been freely earned Joshua $70 million. cancer. Associated Press
discussing the proposed During his 12 months away Abdul-Jabbar, now 73, was get better care than many
meeting of Joshua and from competitive boxing diagnosed with chronic at higher risk for heart prob-
Fury — for which financial because of the pandemic, myeloid leukemia in 2008. lems and cancer, and said Blacks, in part because of
details have been agreed Joshua said he has "honed In his article, titled "Black he also had heart bypass his celebrity and also be-
but official contracts have his craft," returning again Lives Matter," Abdul-Jab- surgery. cause two sons work in the
bar writes that Blacks are He said he's been able to health care profession.q