Anthony Joshua wary of Kevin Johnson's heavyweight mind games

Heavyweight sensation Anthony Joshua is expecting the toughest test of his career when he takes on trash-talking Kevin Johnson on May 30.

The London 2012 Olympic gold medallist put in his most impressive performance to date when he spectacularly knocked out Brazilian Raphael Zumbano Love last weekend.

Now he will meet former heavyweight title challenger Johnson on the undercard of the Kell Brook versus Frankie Gavin welterweight title fight and the ‘Kingpin’ has confidently predicted he will cause a shock.

Joshua admits Johnson’s mind games are a new experience for him but he is determined not to let them affect the result and is confident he will get the win to move to 13-0.

"It is interesting," Joshua said about the build-up to the bout. "It is about what I have got to expect from myself, whether what he says has a mental effect on me.

“I'm expecting some more trash-talking from him and whether that has an effect on me may determine how I perform.

"I'm expecting a very defensive fighter, someone with a beautiful jab and who understands the game. His confidence doesn't come from nowhere.

"He has to have done some research and he has been in there with the likes of Vitali Klitschko - he is also a very educated man.

"You listen to the things he said, he has some sort of intelligence and a clever man makes a clever fighter. He will cause some difficulties, but I will be able to prevail."

Johnson, 35, has never been stopped in his 36 fights, although he has lost to both Tyson Fury and Dereck Chisora and goes into the fight with Joshua on the back of three straight losses.

The two have sparred in the past and Joshua insists he does not see Johnson as an "enemy".

Joshua said: "We shared a camp together so just because we are fighting doesn't make him an enemy, just another person I have to beat."