Anthony Joshua is "ready for war" against Kubrat Pulev as he hopes to make it a special occasion for those fans able to be present on Saturday. 

Heavyweight Joshua defends his IBF, WBA and WBO titles at Wembley Arena in what will be his first outing since regaining the belts from Andy Ruiz Jr a year ago. 

The 31-year-old was due to face Pulev, who has lost just once as a pro and is the mandatory challenger with the IBF, back in June, only for that date to be shelved amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Pulev is the final hurdle to clear before a lucrative all-British fight with reigning WBC champion Tyson Fury next year, though a focused Joshua is expecting a battle against the Bulgarian. 

"What can I expect? My body is just a vessel that carries my brain, so I've trained my brain more so than my body," Joshua told Sky Sports News as he entered the bio-secure bubble set up for the bout. 

"I'm ready for war, I'm ready for a fight. I'm looking forward to it. 

"The time will come when we go to war, so I'm looking forward to that date."

With a relaxation in the COVID-19 restrictions in London, the card will see 1,000 spectators present at the venue, a welcome boost for the reigning champion. 

This will be Joshua's first outing on home soil since September 2018, when he defeated Alexander Povetkin at Wembley Stadium.

"I like it, it will be intimate. It's nice for the fans," he said of the small crowd allowed to attend.

"It is a special occasion to watch a heavyweight championship fight among 1,000 people when normally there would be tens of thousands of people.

"There are a lucky thousand who will be there, so I hope that they enjoy it."