Anthony Joshua reveals what Zlatan Ibrahimovic told him before Carlos Takam fight

Anthony Joshua has revealed the epic advice he got from Zlatan Ibrahimovic before his fight with Carlos Takam on Saturday.

The Manchester United striker was in attendance for Joshua’s fight at the Principality Stadium and joined the Brit backstage before the main bout.

Ibrahimovic posed with Joshua’s three heavyweight world titles and the IBF and WBA (Super) champion has revealed the football star gave him some excellent words of wisdom before he was due in the ring.

‘Zlatan loves his boxing and his mindset is phenomenal but he picked me up on something I said after my fight with Wladimir Klitschko earlier in the year,’ Joshua told Sky Sports.

‘He pointed out that I’d said ‘I’m not perfect, but I’m trying’.

‘Then he said ‘No, no no. What you must is say is ‘I am perfect and I’m not trying.

‘I thought this guy’s mindset is phenomenal.’

The stoppage is also Joshua’s 20th in a row, one better than heavyweight legend Mike Tyson ever managed during his career.

Joshua is now just one behind Frank Bruno’s best knockout streak and is targeting a return to the ring in early 2018.

A nose injury is not expected to keep Joshua sideline for long after a doctor confirmed it was not broken as first feared.