From one countryman to the other, trainer Peter Fury has a word of advice for British heavyweight titleholder Anthony Joshua in his projected fight against Kubrat Pulev: Don’t expect to simply outbox the Bulgarian.
"Pulev is very cagey and he'll come in top condition as well, and he's really up for this fight," Fury, the chief second of Hughie Fury and uncle to heavyweight titlist Tyson Fury, told Sky Sports. "You've got to break him down and AJ will have to take chances in this fight, because he's not going to just simply be able to land that double jab and right hand on Pulev, no matter how sharp he is.”
"He's got a very good jab. He's a very underestimated boxer is Pulev. He's very awkward.”
Fury should know. He got a close look at the Bulgarian contender in 2018, when Hughie Fury challenged him and wound up losing a wide decision. Pulev (28-1, 14 KOs) is the current mandatory to Joshua, although complications due to the Covid-19 pandemic have thrown off the date and place for that fight; November, according to promoter Eddie Hearn, is the target month with the possibility of a limited crowd.
Fury believes Pulev, who is co-promoted by Top Rank, will present a different set of challenges than Joshua’s last opponent, Andy Ruiz, whom he decisioned in their rematch last year by boxing strictly on the outside. That strategy worked wonders against an out-of-shape Ruiz but may not be as effective against Pulev’s spoilsport ways.
"It's definitely not a fight for AJ to go on his back foot, because that will definitely suit Pulev down to a tee,” Fury cautioned. “It’s not easy to outbox Pulev.
“[Pulev] an overwhelming kind of guy. If he gets going, gets in a routine, then he can grind you down.”
Fury recommends that Joshua (23-1, 21 KOs) be more aggressive on offense – strategically, of course.
"AJ has got to take it to him and be explosive, but be clever with it” Fury said. “You have to fancy the younger man, but like I said, you can't put anything past Pulev, because he's a very cute, professional fighter.
"It's not a pushover fight this, it's a serious fight. When people are famous in boxing everyone expects them to win, but it's not the case in this fight. This fight is a dangerous fight for him. If he doesn't keep 100 per cent focused, this fight can slip from him again.”
