Thursday 29 April 2021 10:27, UK
Anthony Joshua says he only realised his full potential after being "put in the lion's den", but is now confident he can become a heavyweight great.
The unbeaten 27-year-old has started preparing for the next defence of his WBA 'super' and IBF heavyweight titles, which is likely to be against the IBF's mandatory challenger Kubrat Pulev.
Joshua insists he was initially unsure about whether he could reach the top of the sport, but he ripped the IBF belt from Charles Martin with a stoppage victory last year, and then earned recognition by knocking out Wladimir Klitschko in April.
"Now I've got that strap on my back and that lion fur on my back, you walk with confidence, but before then you're a contender and you can only find out how good you are when you are put in the lion's den," said Joshua.
"It was good to come out with the lion's fur on my back for sure and now I can walk with confidence.
At the time, I never believed I could become champion. I always done it for fun, for the discipline.
"At the time, I never believed I could become champion. I always did it for fun, for the discipline.
"I liked the discipline it gave me. In life I found a balance, which was important and now I believe I can definitely achieve greatness. But greatness does not just come from what I achieve in the ring - it's some of the things that I intend to do outside of the ring."
Joshua's dramatic 11th-round victory over Klitschko was the most physically demanding fight of his career, which saw him overcome a sixth round knockdown, and he believes a stringent training regime has been crucial to his success.
"Yesterday was a light day, 13 hour day," he said. "I left the house at 10am and was training all day, got home around 3pm, spent time with the family for an hour and had some food, then straight back in the gym.
"The thing that makes the days long is that the coach has things set out, but there's things I want to achieve as well so it adds those extra hours on and drags the days out.
"But sometimes you need those little things which make a big difference. I don't mind having long days in the gym. There is always going to be that one time when I need it, so as they say it's all in the bank."
