Pulev confirms fight with Joshua for December

The wait is finally over as we finally have word that unified heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua will take on mandatory challenger Kubrat Pulev in December.

Pulev announced on his Facebook yesterday.

“No turning back, no procrastination! Kubrat Pulev vs. Anthony Joshua! The date is December 12th, and the place is London! The date and place of the event are now final and not subject to change, and both parties have signed the official contract,” Pulev stated.

Pulev has been waiting for a minute on this contest as Joshua first had to win the belts back from Andy Ruiz Jr. last December in Saudi Arabia. From there, Pulev was slated to take on Joshua back on June 20, but the Covid 19 pandemic wiped that off the schedule as well. Pulev was last in the ring last November in a stay-busy fight, defeating Rydell Booker in Fresno, CA, by unanimous decision.

We’ll wait for the relocation’s official announcement, but all indication insists that the contest will be held with O2 Arena. Speaking with ESPN last month, Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn hinted as much.

“We don’t know what the world is going to give us in the next couple of months,” Hearn told ESPN. “But if things keep moving like they’re moving, we’ll definitely be allowed fans in the O2 Arena. It’s just a case of how many.”

That has been the point of contention for this fight as Hearn, like many other boxing promoters worldwide, tried to find a way to have their top fights in front of fans for live gate revenue. During the summer of this pandemic, the site location has changed from the United Kingdom, the ever so popular location of Saudi Arabia, and even by Hearn on a boat.

With all of the location hypotheticals out of the way, this contest will lead the world of boxing one step closer to the proposed mega-fight between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua sometime in 2021.

Unless, Pulev pulls off the upset of course.