Anthony Joshua has on Monday 2nd March 2020, confirmed the date and venue for his bout between him and Bulgarian Kubrat Pulev.
The British-Nigerian world boxing champion, who currently holds the WBA, IBF and WBO belts, in a social media post a few hours ago, said he will be fighting on June 20th 2020. The fight which the IBF mandatory will be against 38-year-old Kubrat Pulev, will be at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday 20 June.
This will be the first bout for Anthony Joshua, after retaining his belts from Andy Ruiz in December, and although fans expect his to win this. But his performance against Andy Ruiz in both bouts is giving fans a bit of concern if Joshua can really return to his old fearless form.
“I am happy to have the opportunity to show the world how strong I really am,” said Kubrat Pulev.
It will be Joshua’s first fight in the UK since beating Alexander Povetkin at Wembley in September 2018.
He was initially due to fight Kubrat Pulev at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium in October 2017 but the Bulgarian withdrew after suffering a shoulder injury in sparring, with Carlos Takam stepping in to replace him at 12 days’ notice.
Promoter Eddie Hearn said last week that talks were also underway for an all-British unification fight between Joshua and Tyson Fury.
Fury beat Deontay Wilder to claim the WBC title last month, meaning the British heavyweights now hold all of the division’s belts between them.
Pulev, a former European heavyweight champion, has suffered just one defeat in 29 bouts, a fifth-round knockout by Wladimir Klitschko in November 2015.
He beat Britain’s Hughie Fury on points in an IBF final eliminator in Bulgaria in October 2018, his first fight since pulling out of his original meeting with Joshua.
His last bout was another unanimous points victory, against American Rydell Booker, in November.