AN injury sustained in training camp looks set to rule Bulgarian challenger Kubrat Pulev out of his heavyweight world title fight with Anthony Joshua, Boxing News understands.
Joshua, the unified IBF and WBA world heavyweight champion, was due to put his titles on the line at the 80,000 seat Principality stadium in Cardiff on October 28. Pulev, a former world title challenger, had long been eyeing this fight and had risen to become the mandatory challenger for the IBF belt. In many rankings the Bulgarian is the third best heavyweight in the world after Joshua himself and then IBF titlist Deontay Wilder.
Any Anthony Joshua fight is now a major event after the Briton sensationally defeated Wladimir Klitschko at Wembley stadium in April.
This hitch however means that Joshua’s team have less than two weeks to find a replacement.
Carlos Takam is highly ranked in the IBF ratings and would be a low risk foe to draft in at the last minute.
Former rival Dillian Whyte would make for a vocal opponent and he is due to box on that October 28 card anyway. Joshua has made no secret of his desire to fight Whyte again but presumably with greater notice that would be a bigger fight down the line.
