Carlos Takam is planning to target Anthony Joshua's body in Saturday's fight - and has also revealed that he is relying on more than just a shock knockout.

The Frenchman has warned the IBF, IBO and WBA heavyweight champion he has learnt from the mistakes that led to his previous defeats.

Takam, 36, stepped in to become Joshua's challenger at Cardiff's Principality Stadium at less than a fortnight's notice following an injury to Kubrat Pulev of Bulgaria.

His previous defeats, to Gregory Tony and more recently Alexander Povetkin and Joseph Parker, suggested he remains short of the level required to threaten the world's leading heavyweight.

The most recent of those came against WBO champion Parker in New Zealand last year, but he has since won twice and responded by coming to the UK earlier than he travelled to fight Parker in Manukau City.

"I should have arrived earlier in New Zealand to acclimatise: I got tired in that fight," said Takam, who has previously sparred with 28-year-old Joshua's compatriot David Haye.

"I try not to look at it as a defeat, it's just a way to learn more. I always ask myself what I could have done better in the fight: I ask myself what was missing from my game.

"It will be just as important to work Joshua's body as well as the head, and my speed will be important too.

"If I can do things differently from what other boxers have done against him, I'll have a chance to win by knockout."

Takam is a shorter opponent than Pulev, who Joshua had long prepared for, and also significantly shorter than Wladimir Klitschko, the champion's challenger in his last fight.

Joshua's trainer Rob McCracken recognises the lack of notice for their new opponent is "not ideal" but remains confident his previous experience will ensure he is sufficiently prepared.

"Josh works with different fighters, smaller fighters, taller fighters, he has boxed a different variety of opponents as a pro and an amateur, so he is pretty used to boxing shorter opponents," McCracken said.

"When he beat (Russia's Denis Bakhtov) some said he should fight someone his own size. He's done that for a bit and now he will fight someone a bit shorter.

"Joshua's absolutely fine; you will get niggles in camp, there are no issues. I can hear him laughing around the place, so he must be happy."