Joshua Buatsi says he is the best in Britain and better than his next opponent Craig Richards.
The two light-heavyweights meet at the O2 Arena, London on Saturday night in a WBA light-heavyweight world title eliminator live on DAZN.
“I am the best in the country,” said Buatsi during Matchroom’s Face-Off programme.
“The truth is though; we haven’t fought each other. Spider is the first light-heavyweight in Britain that I am boxing, so from there I can make a point of it. Everyone can say they are the best, but until someone gets a world title to separate themselves, then everyone has a point to make, and we are the first to really fight.”
Buatsi (15-0, 13 KOs) is not only supremely confident that he is better than Richards (17-2-1, 10 KOs) but insists the former world title challenger knows it too.
“I am better than him 100 per cent. I’ve looked at him in the eyes and he knows who I am. You don’t need to explain. I don’t need to talk smack and I don’t need the media. I love my private life.
“I’ve got opinions, but I don’t care about social media or any of that. Forget the image, when I fight, it’s straight violence. I carry myself in a certain way, but when I get in the ring, it’s straight violence.
In professional boxing, we’re all carrying ourselves in a certain way, but the brakes are off when I’m in the ring. The talking doesn’t do it, the fighting does.”