Anthony Joshua ends a year away from the ring when he defends his collection of world heavyweight titles against Kubrat Pulev on Saturday, and the champion believes we will see the culmination of 18 months of adversity unleashed upon the Bulgarian at the SSE Arena.
Joshua's in-ring 2019 comprised of a shocking loss — the first of his professional career — to Andy Ruiz Jr. before regaining the WBA, WBO and IBF belts in the rematch in Saudi Arabia that December.
Since then, Joshua has watched any plans to compete be washed away by the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent lack of fans at arenas. Meanwhile, he has also listened to many in the industry predict he would be no match for WBC champion Tyson Fury, who agreed in principle to fight Joshua down the line in a bout expected to be finalised for 2021.
In an exclusive sit-down with DAZN's Chris Mannix on fight week, Joshua discussed the Dec. 12 defence against Pulev and how he has improved under the circumstances.
"[Fighting Ruiz has not] physically changed me, I still carry and possess the powers," expained Joshua. "I thought technically-wise he's improved me. He's changed me for the better.
"He changed my mental focus as well about what this really means because I was that guy just coming to the boxing gym as Olympic champion. And when I turned pro three years later, I was world champion. So I didn't even really embrace what I was doing.
"And then I get to see Andy Ruiz living life over in America and Mexico and wow, that's what it means to be champion. So he definitely changed me for the better.
"But what he's done and he made me realise there's two different things. There's what we call defining performances, and there's defining fights. So I feel like Saudi wasn't a defining fight. But it was a defining performance, which was sticking to my game plan to win."
Joshua has been written off by many since the defeat to Ruiz, and with unbeaten Fury on the horizon if he gets past Pulev, the theme of talking Joshua's credentials down has continued into 2020.
However the champ told Mannix that this is no different to the last couple of years, when his fights — including the fateful night at Madison Square Garden — were overshadowed by people's criticisms as they chose to focus on hypotheticals instead.
"Remember, I was that guy that was ducking everyone," he said. "I didn't want to fight Deontay Wilder, apparently.
"I was going on different sports shows in America and they're saying, why are you ducking Deontay Wilder? I'm like, 'I'm telling you now, I'm not.
"So I'm trying to explain myself about Wilder. And all the while, Joshua vs. Ruiz was in the background. Yet they would ask me about everyone else. So when I’m in the ring I was looking over at the other corner and wondering ‘why am I even here?’
"There was no respect, no admiration for taking these fights. And then when Ruiz won the first fight, they were all ‘Wow, Ruiz! He’s the new Rocky!’ and I’m thinking ‘Why couldn’t you give me any of that love?’
"People were pushing me out of the division, so I learned to just focus on myself. Back then it was easier to live in my head rent-free. You could tell me that I was ducking Deontay Wilder and I would try to back myself up.
"Now, I know I can just focus on myself because now we all heard from Deontay himself that he refused the offer. He could have fought me, but he didn’t want to.
"It's weird. I think I've come to learn this year. I just got one of them faces that people love to hate. I swear, but understanding that has made me tougher."
Joshua went on to admit that all he has wanted to do since then is get back into the ring and test himself, something that the pandemic has made difficult.
It's no longer about money for the Brit, who says the Pulev defence had to happen whether it was at a financial loss or not, and even admitted he would have gladly competed at Eddie Hearn's Matchroom Fight Camp in August, held inside Hearn's back garden to no audience whatsoever.
"I’m keen to fight anyone. We made offers in the past to Jerome Miller, to Luis Ortiz … Andy Ruiz, credit to the boy because he stepped up. Every fight is a chance to test myself, which is why I wanted to get out there this year.
"Even with the financial losses in the Pulev fight, I didn’t want to stay out of the ring. Let me see how much I’ve learned from the Ruiz loss and winning the belts back.
"I wouldn't have minded [Fight Camp] because it just gets it [the absence from the ring all fighters have endured due to COVID-19] out of the way. I'm going to be 12 months out of the ring when I fight Pulev. If I had a bout at Fight Camp in Eddie's back garden, it would have been less."
You can watch the full Joshua interview with Mannix on DAZN.
Joshua vs. Pulev airs live Saturday Dec. 12 on Sky Sports Box Office in the U.K. and Ireland, and on DAZN elsewhere including the U.S. with a DAZN subscription.