Anthony Joshua has been warned of the dangers of overlooking Kubrat Pulev and instead focusing on a future fight with Tyson Fury.
The showdown between the world’s two best heavyweights looks increasingly likely to take place in 2021 and it will be a mammoth unification clash if both men hold onto their titles before then.
Joshua will put his IBF, WBA and WBO heavyweight belts on the line against the Bulgarian on December 12 but has been warned not to get carried away with the prospect of fighting Fury.
When asked if Pulev had himself considered the prospect of defeating Joshua and then moving onto a fight with Fury, the Bulgarian’s manager, Ivaylo Gotsev, told Sky Sports: ‘Absolutely not. We will let AJ and [his promoter] Eddie Hearn make that mistake.
‘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 also backed his client to exploit the ‘holes’ in Joshua’s style, adding: “He has seen styles before like AJ’s.”
“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.”
Earlier this month Fury was given the go-ahead by the WBC to pursue an undisputed heavyweight clash against Joshua.
The two men have agreed finances on a two-fight deal next year, which would see them bring the heavyweight belts together to determine the first undisputed champion since Lennox Lewis.
Fury is expected to make the first defence of his WBC title, won after beating Deontay Wilder in February via a seventh-round stoppage, at the Royal Albert Hall on December 5 but is yet to name an opponent.
