WBA, IBO, IBF heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua (20-0, 20 KOs) is very confident in his ability to beat his division nemesis, WBC champion Deontay Wilder (39-0, 38 KOs).

There are discussions taking place to hold a unification showdown between the two in 2018, with the summer months being the target by Joshua's team.

Joshua retained his title last month with a tenth round TKO of Carlos Takam before a crowd of 78,000 fans at Principality in Cardiff, Wales.

Wilder had a title defense two weeks ago, when he demolished Bermane Stiverne in the first round of their mandatory rematch at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.

Joshua believes that he's simply a better overall fighter than Wilder. He says his amateur run was better by winning a gold medal whereas Wilder won bronze, he says his pro run has been better with three world titles around his waist, and now he needs to beat Wilder in the ring.

“There are certain dreams that you have but can’t remember and others that you wake up from thinking ‘wow, that was real’ and I just feel I can beat Wilder for sure," Joshua told Gulf News.

“The proof is also in the pudding. I’ve had a more stellar amateur career, and have a more stellar resume. The only thing I haven’t added to the pudding is the cherry on top and that’s the fight.”

Should he defeat Wilder, Joshua says there will still be a lot of work to do and plenty of challengers lining up to fight him.

“Because you are never a true great until you finish [your career], that’s when you are truly appreciated. We’ll be making waves, but a king can never sit down for too long," Joshua said.

“People will always want to come to battle you and if you are a king in your sport you have to go out and defend your front. If I do beat Wilder or Fury, who knows, Wladimir might decide to come back and then I have to get up and do it again. So, until I retire, I can never call myself a king or a great of my sport. I will have to continue, time and time again, to prove that.”