Anthony Joshua: In boxing, losing is the one thing I'm nervous about

The unified champion of the division currently boasts a perfect record of 20 fights, 20 wins and as many knockouts

Anthony Joshua and Joseph Parker go head to head next week (Getty Images)

Anthony Joshua says that losing is the 'one thing' he is nervous about in boxing ahead of his fight against WBO heavyweight champion Joseph Parker on 31 March.

The unified champion of the division currently boasts a perfect record of 20 fights, 20 wins and as many knockouts, with the showdown against Wladimir Klitschko in front of 90,000 people at Wembley Stadium the crowning moment of his career thus far.

When Joshua faces Parker in Cardiff, he'll be taking on an undefeated fighter and will be looking to make history by becoming the first in the history of the division to hold four belts at the same time.

With so much on the line for both men, Joshua spoke ahead of the bout and admitted the prospect of defeat makes him nervous but won't be let that define him, should the worst happen at the Principality Stadium.

"In boxing, losing is the one thing you are nervous about," Joshua revealed to Sky Sports. "Nobody wants their '0' to go. You don't plan on getting beat, in every other sport you can lose and bounce back."

When asked 'Is that [losing] what scares you?' Joshua responded: "Yeah, because it is the sport we are in.

"[Roger] Federer is still known as a great but we don't know the 10 people who have beat him before. For boxing, that loss stays on your record for eternity.

"Losing doesn't define you though, it's how you move forward that defines you. You have to know where you are going.

"When I look at heavyweight boxing, you look at [Wladimir] Klitschko and he wanted to be a three-time heavyweight champion of the world, he lost and came back - If I lost, I'd dust myself off and go again.

"It would show people's mindset if they discredited everything I had done up until that point because of one defeat."