Anthony Joshua has hit out at Kubrat Pulev after the Bulgarian was forced to withdraw from their fight in Cardiff due to injury.
Pulev cited a pectoral muscle tear as the injury, but Joshua believes he would never pull out of a fight over a “niggle”.
Joshua went as far to say he was “pissed off” Pulev decided to pull out, prompting Carlos Takam to step in as a replacement.
The heavyweight champion will still fight this Saturday, but admitted he was annoyed about the opponent change.
Joshua said: “If you knew the injuries I have faced in camp… I had glandular fever against Dominic Breazeale, and my shoulder in this camp – fighters go through a lot.
“Two weeks before the Klitschko fight I went for a Thai massage and she stretched me. “She pulled my arm down my leg and it cramped my back.
“I swear, I was walking doubled over, two weeks before.
“But we crack on. I fought Michael Sprott with a fractured back – just crack on.
“My trainer, Rob McCracken, doesn’t like it. He says: ‘You have to listen to me, Josh, if I ever have to pull you out of a fight.’”