"This is someone with world experience so let's see how I deal with that"
Tuesday 28 May 2019 18:53, UK
Joshua Buatsi will pay no respect to his Mexican opponent Marco Antonio Periban’s “toughness”, he has insisted.
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Unbeaten Buatsi defends his WBA international light-heavyweight title against 30-fight veteran Periban on Anthony Joshua's undercard on Saturday night, live on Sky Sports Box Office.
"My opponent has mixed at world level," Buatsi said at the public workouts. "How am I going to deal with it? That's the pressure I put on myself.
"I'm confident that I have the toughness. If you know within yourself, you're good. I'm not Mexican but I know where I'm from.
"Everything in that ring will be on my terms.
"I've beaten people at national level but we can't get hyped yet. This is someone with world experience so let's see how I deal with that."
Periban has shared a ring with Badou Jack, James DeGale and Avni Yildrim and challenged for a world title.
Buatsi said of his US debut: "It's a good opportunity and I have to take advantage.
"People say: does it bring pressure? The only pressure is put on by myself.
"My opponent has mixed at world level. How am I going to deal with it? That's the pressure I put on myself."
Buatsi believes he can headline at Madison Square Garden in the future so will monitor the preparations of Anthony Joshua, who is defending his world heavyweight titles against Andy Ruiz Jr.
"In a fight of this magnitude I want to see what he's like in the changing room because one day, I believe, my time will come," Buatsi said.
Watch Anthony Joshua vs Andy Ruiz Jr on Saturday, live on Sky Sports Box Office, from 10pm. Book it via your Sky remote or book it online here. Even if you aren't a Sky TV subscriber you can book and watch it here.
