KUBRAT PULEV says Anthony Joshua is “scared” of fighting him and has refused to step aside so the Brit can fight Tyson Fury.
Pulev is the IBF’s mandatory challenger, but the Bulgarian has seen his June 20 scrap against AJ delayed by coronavirus.
Kubrat Pulev claims Anthony Joshua is scared of fighting himCredit: Getty – Contributor
Joshua’s world title defence against Pulev was postponed due to the coronavirusCredit: EPA
There has also been rumours that Joshua and his Matchroom team are hoping Pulev steps aside so their man can face Fury in an undisputed heavyweight clash.
But Pulev is adamant he is going nowhere, and he is furious that a date has not been set in stone for the title fight.
Speaking about the idea of letting Fury in, the 39-year-old said: “I wouldn’t accept it.
“I did it once when I didn’t have to do it for him (Joshua) to have his second match against Ruiz Jr.
“Everything was against IBF’s rules, but I compromised.
“I see how people are afraid of me and are trying to face someone else before me.
“Thats not how a real world champion should act.
“Even Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield are coming back to the game to show that they are real warriors, not like him.”
PULEV FUMES WITH DELAY
Joshua, 30, defeated Andy Ruiz Jr in a December rematch in Saudi Arabia to win back his IBF, WBA, WBO and IBO titles.
Six months earlier he had lost them when the Mexican delivered one of boxing’s biggest ever shocks with a seventh-round KO win.
Now Pulev is ready to spring his own surprise – and he wants to get the date and venue sorted.
He added: “Enough is enough.
“I cant understand why we are still postponing instead of fixing a date and venue and getting to work? I cant wait to win this fight.
“A year has passed, and they always have a reason to postpone, not to fight against me.
“There are two options. You either fight or vacate the title.”
Joshua was initially due to fight Pulev at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium in October 2017 but the Bulgarian withdrew after suffering a shoulder injury in sparring.
Pulev challenged for the IBF world heavyweight title in 2014, losing to Wladimir Klitschko in Hamburg on a fifth-round knockout.
Fans think Kubrat Pulev will ‘crush’ Antony Joshua after Bulgarian shares video of himself training in ring
Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk
