ANTHONY JOSHUA will fight Kubrat Pulev at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on June 20.
The Brit world champion will defend his IBF, WBA and WBO belts against the Bulgarian bruiser.
Anthony Joshua will defend his belts against Kubrat Pulev in JuneCredit: PA
Pulev pulled out of fighting Joshua through injury in 2017Credit: PA:Press Association
The duo will square-off with the 38-year-old mandatory for Joshua’s IBF strap.
Pulev said: “I am happy to have the opportunity to show the world how strong I really am.”
AJ also confirmed the news on Twitter, as he posed with his unified titles with the caption: “June 20th.”
Joshua won his titles back after beating Andy Ruiz Jr in Saudi Arabia last December.
That came after a shock seventh-round loss to the Mexican slugger at Madison Square Garden in June last year.
Right after exacting revenge on 20st Ruiz with a points verdict in the Middle East, Joshua was confronted with two mandatory challengers Pulev, and Oleksandr Usyk.
But Pulev – who pulled out of fighting AJ in 2017 through injury – was deemed first in line having earned his shot at the title after beating Tyson Fury’s cousin Hughie in October 2018.
Tyson Fury regained his status as heavyweight champion at the end of February with a stunning stoppage win against Deontay Wilder in Las Vegas.
Having won the WBC belt five years after dethroning former heavyweight ruler Wladimir Klitschko, it set Fury up with the chance to win back the belts he vacated, all of which are now around AJ’s waist.
But beaten Wilder has officially invoked his right to an immediate rematch with the Gypsy King, meaning Fury and Joshua would have to win their unwanted interim bouts before setting up a Battle of Britain for all the belts.
Promoter Eddie Hearn has already offered to agree a contract NOW for Joshua and Fury to fight at the end of the year.
UNDISPUTED
But Fury’s US promoter Bob Arum – who also works with Pulev – claims the Gypsy King will be unifying the belts against the Bulgarian, not AJ.
Arum told Ringside Reporter: “I told Eddie Hearn, I said ‘Stop looking at a Tyson Fury fight this year. You’ve got to fight Pulev in June, and Joshua is going to get knocked on his arse’.
“I guarantee you that Pulev will knockout Joshua like Tyson Fury knocked out Wilder.
“So yes, I will look to make a Pulev-Fury fight to unify all the belts by the end of the year, but Mr. Hearn will have nothing to do with it.”
But, if Joshua beats Pulev and Fury retains his title against Wilder, then Arum will put his differences with Hearn aside to make the mega-money showdown for all the heavyweight marbles.
Arum said: “If Joshua beats Pulev and Fury beats Wilder, then why not do a Joshua-Fury fight at the end of the year.
“And we would certainly then sit with Eddie and work it out. So everybody is saying the same thing. But again, these fights have to play out first.”
Pulev will challenge for Joshua’s unified titlesCredit: Getty – Contributor
Anthony Joshua banked £32million last year from outside of the ring after trademarking his name
Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk
