This has got to be the best fight card in the history of boxing.
There’s me against Otto Wallin as well as Deontay Wilder going to war with Joseph Parker. There’s Dmitry Bivol, Lyndon Arthur, the list goes on and on and on.
I can’t think of another card over the course boxing history like this one – it’s stacked - so credit to everyone that’s got this together.
Come Saturday night, it’s not like people will be switching on just for the main event, there’s great fights coming at you left, right and centre. It’s like an early Christmas present to the boxing community and I’m relishing being a big part of it all.
This one’s come relatively fast. I didn’t know my opponent until all that recently so the training’s been different. Normally, I’ve been jetting over to Dallas for a long camp there with Derrick James but this time we’ve done things a bit differently.
I’ve swapped some winter sun in Texas for Harlow working with Ben Davison at his gym, and obviously he’s got experience of preparing a fighter to take on a southpaw like Wallin.
The camp’s been really good. I love being surrounded by other boxers. There’s Leigh Wood, Jeamie Tshikeva, Shabaz Masoud. I’m doing crunches with Leigh, circuits with guys like Shabaz.
Everyone’s working their butts off there and, like I feel I do for every fight, I’ve done the same but also again learnt that bit more about myself as a boxer.
There’s all the usual pre-fight talk around me. I’ve heard it all before. Wallin says I’ve peaked as a fighter, others say I’m avoiding certain bouts. Some I use as motivation but mostly I shut out all the noise to focus on the job I have to do.
And what I would say is that I never shy away from a fight. My motto’s always been anytime, any person, just name the place. This time it’s Saturday night in Riyadh, and I know what’s required of me.
I’ve been at the top of my game for a long time. This is my 30th time inside the ring as a professional, and I know what’s needed to get the job done before heading off to enjoy Christmas.
I’ve fought Wallin twice before in the amateur ranks and beat him on both occasions, plus we’ve sparred before this fight. I know what’s coming my way in Riyadh and I’m fully prepared.
Even on a bad day – and I don’t plan to have one – I’ll smoke the guy. He’s just not in the same class and calibre of fighter as me.
I still have my sights set on becoming heavyweight champion of the world once again and this is the last step towards that.
Tune in to see what I’m capable but not just me, all the other amazing fighters on the card. It promises to be an amazing night for the sport.
Anthony Joshua vs Otto Wallin is live on DAZN
