Ivaylo Gotsev, manager of heavyweight contender Kubrat Pulev, believes Anthony Joshua is making a big mistake in overlooking his client.
Gotsev believes Joshua is looking too far ahead to a unification with WBC world champion Tyson Fury.
Pulev is the IBF’s mandatory challenger to Joshua and his next opponent.
The two boxers will finally collide in the ring on December 12 in London, UK.
“We are only focused on AJ. You could call it a mistake or call it being green, to overlook the opponent that is in front of you. In 30 years in boxing, I’ve seen too many things go wrong when you look too far ahead. There is only one fight in the world for us – AJ vs Pulev,” Gotsev told Sky Sports.
Gotsev views Joshua as a different fighter now – changes that he attributes to the shocking knockout loss at the hands of Andy Ruiz in June 2019.
“He has seen styles before like AJ’s,” Gotsev insisted. “AJ is a great specimen who punches very hard and is very athletic but he has holes too. He isn’t the complete package. Pulev can avoid the strengths and exploit the weaknesses.”
“AJ showed (that he is a different boxer) in his second fight with Ruiz Jr when he just ran around. His last fight showed who AJ really is. Kubrat is a different type of challenge. AJ must make a lot of adjustments from facing a short, heavy guy to someone whose footwork is one of his best assets and who is the same size.”
