British-Nigerian heavyweight boxer has said he will not be celebrating if he regains his world heavyweight title.
He made this disclosure as he faced off with rival Andy Ruiz in a final press conference ahead of the much anticipated rematch in Saudi Arabia.
Joshua seeks to win back the IBF, WBA and WBO titles that he lost to Ruiz in a shock June defeat in New York in a high-profile duel on Saturday, dubbed “Clash on the Dunes”.
Joshua, 30, said he was “hungry, determined and focused” as he appeared alongside Ruiz in a press conference in Diriyah, close to the Saudi capital Riyadh.
According to him,” I am not here to put on a show, I am here to win,” he said.
“When I regain those belts… I am going to keep calm, stay focused. It’s not a time to celebrate. It’s a time to keep that challenger mindset and move on to the next target.”
But Ruiz retorted and insisted he would stay unbeaten, saying “There’s no way that I’m going to let these belts go.”
Ruiz observed that all the pressure was on Joshua ahead of the rematch.
The rematch will take place in Diriyah, home to a UNESCO World Heritage site and a dramatic contrast to the iconic Madison Square Garden which hosted the first fight between the two men which ended in a seventh-round stoppage.
