Anthony Joshua: ‘There will be blood’ against Joseph Parker

WBA and IBF heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua is just 10 days out from his unification clash with WBO titleholder Joseph Parker in Cardiff, Wales, and the 28-year-old Joshua says he expects a tough fight, including blood.

“I can’t tell you exactly how the fight will go, but we’re big, we’re strong, and the punches do hurt after a while. I definitely know there’ll be blood. There will definitely be blood, and the thing is – you can definitely hear the leather, cracking on people’s heads, if you’re close enough as well, and we’re both fast. You’ll see really good combinations that you don’t really see from heavyweights.”

Joshua (20-0, 20 KO) has stopped everyone he’s faced thus far as a professional, after winning gold at the 2012 Olympic games in London, but Parker (24-0, 18 KO) may be the first time he’s faced an in-prime, legitimate top heavyweight, too. We learned in the Wladimir Klitschko fight that Joshua is resilient and can fight through adversity, and he may have to do that again on March 31.

How do you see this one going? Do you expect the bloody battle Joshua believes is coming?