Boxing Champion Anthony Joshua’s next fight will be against Kubrat Pulev, it has been confirmed.
Joshua beat Andy Ruiz Jr in their rematch last December in Saudi Arabia, and the three-belt world champion will have to defend his titles against his IBF mandatory challenger Pulev in his next fight, before taking on Oleksandr Usyk, who is the No.1 WBO contender according to his agent and promoter, Eddie Hearn.
Eddie Hearn earlier this week admitted Saudi Arabia’s spending power would be the defining factor in determining the location of a possible bout between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua if they ever agreed to fight, but the Matchroom boss confirmed Joshua’s next fight will be in the UK around May or June, and not Saudi Arabia or Africa like he earlier claimed.
‘It’s close and if it was proving difficult to make, we would go into purse bids now at this stage, or they would order it,’ Hearn told Sky Sports about Joshua’s next fight against Kubrat Pulev.
‘We spoke to the camps and they basically said we need another two weeks and we’ll have it finalised.
‘Almost certainly that will be AJ’s next fight and almost certainly in the UK.
The main issue we have is Pulev wants to make as much money for that fight as he can.
‘There isn’t as much money for that fight in the UK as there is elsewhere, but AJ has given me the instruction that I boxed in New York, I boxed in Saudi, I would like to do this one in the UK.
‘Spurs, Emirates, Cardiff, Twickenham, everywhere is in play, but most likely end of May, early June, Joshua-Pulev in the UK.’
