Joshua-Pulev officially postponed by Matchroom

COVID-19 has continued across the world to stop live sporting events and Matchroom boxing made official the heavyweight bout of Anthony Joshua against Kubrat Pulev no exception today.

From Matchroom in a press release:

Anthony Joshua’s defence of his IBF, WBA, WBO and IBO Heavyweight World Titles against Mandatory Challenger Kubrat Pulev scheduled to take place at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday June 20 has been postponed.

A new date for the event promoted by Matchroom Boxing and 258 Management in association with Top Rank and Epic Sports Entertainment is currently being worked on. We will announce any updates in due course and continue to explore the possibility of hosting this fight at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Confirmed: #JoshuaPulev has been postponed.

A new date for the event is currently being worked on.

We will announce any updates in due course and continue to explore the possibility of hosting this fight at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. pic.twitter.com/sp43KcrUCY

— Matchroom Boxing (@MatchroomBoxing) April 3, 2020

We wrote in mid-March here that his bout to take place in Tottenham Hotspur Stadium just north of London was likely going to be delayed from the original date of June 20th. That new date has been rescheduled for July 25th, and Pulev is ready for it should everything resumes back to normal but is looking not very likely as well.

Pulev, 28-1, and ranked number one IBF contender despite not having beaten a significant opponent in the last three years. He challenged for the Heavyweight Title once before, losing on a 12-round decision to then Undisputed Champion, Wladimir Klitschko, in 2014. He has won his eight fights since, mostly against nondescript competition.

Joshua (23-1, 21 KOs) recaptured his belts and position as the Unified Heavyweight World Champion with a clear unanimous decision victory over Andy Ruiz Jr at the Diriyah Arena in Saudi Arabia on an historical night in December that saw the Heavyweight World Titles contested for the very first time in the Middle East.

With June 20th off the boards, we’ll see if the July sticks around for the mandatory defense of Joshua as we all await for the pandemic to subside and bring back championship boxing bouts again.