I can’t afford to lose on Saturday night. Defeat and there’s no talk of the next fight, of Deontay Wilder and becoming a three-time champion. That’s the stark reality of what I’m up against.
Am I worried? Am I tense? No, not one bit. I arrived in Saudi Arabia feeling totally calm and relaxed, and that sensation hasn’t changed since coming here.
A defeat would knock everything off-kilter - that's always been the case - but I’m not even allowing myself to entertain the idea.
So, I’m not out here in the Christmas party spirit, nor am I getting caught up in being on this amazing fight card the promoters have put together collectively, and all the glitz and glamour that comes with that.
Sure, I’m the favourite, that’s been the case for pretty much every fight of my professional career but that doesn’t mean I’m overlooking my opponent, Otto Wallin.
That said, he’s not in the calibre of fighter that I am. And there’s been a lot of talk. The more I hear it from him, the better I feel.
He thinks he’s getting in my head, instead all he’s showing us is the cracks he’s got in his armoury, which I intend to expose.
Despite that serene feeling, in the final hours before a big fight, there is tension. That’s only human nature. It shows me how much I want it, that I’m still hungry and that I want to put on a show.
At that point, it’s just me and the team I’ve got around me, going through all the final details to get me in the best physical and mental shape possible.
I’ve tried to keep the team around me to a minimum. It’s scraped back down and I’ve tried to keep those around me and all the requests as limited as possible.
I’m already beginning to enter into fight mode. You do that when you stand on that stage – as we did yesterday – and stare your opponent in the eyes. It’s a moment when you begin to see what makes him tick. As I did it, I felt good.
The remainder of the time between now and the fight is about resting and ensuring I’m at my peak fitness for fight night in Riyadh, and ticking over in your head how I imagine the fight will play out.
"The only thing that matters is getting the win, and I’ll put my absolute heart and soul into making that happen"
You visualise certain scenarios that might happen and, in every one of them, it involves hurting my opponent. That’s what I plan to do, be that in the first, fourth, sixth or final round. I’m making no predictions about when I’ll get the job done.
The only thing that matters is getting the win, and I’ll put my absolute heart and soul into making that happen. I promise you that win’s coming. Happy Christmas.
Anthony Joshua v Otto Wallin is live on DAZN
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