After reclaiming his unified world heavyweight crown in December, Anthony Joshua returns to action and he'll be doing so on his home soil — just as he requested.
Joshua will defend his championship titles against Kubrat Pulev on June 20 from the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London. Pulev is one of Joshua's two mandatory challengers, as "AJ" will be trying to clear the Bulgarian boxer out of his way before looking forward to facing the winner of the Tyson Fury-Deontay Wilder trilogy fight for the right to be undisputed champion of the world. This bout marks Joshua's first fight back in London since his September 2018 TKO of Alexander Povetkin.
“On June 20, I am defending my heavyweight world titles,” said Joshua in a Matchroom Boxing press release statement. “I’m back in my home city after some time away. A spectacular stadium has been built in North London and I’m honored to bring the boxing community from all over the world to witness us make history with the stadium’s first heavyweight world title fight. The belts go back up in the air and nothing will stop me from being victorious.”
Joshua (23-1, 21 KOs) responded to his first pro loss — a seventh-round TKO defeat against Andy Ruiz Jr. last June — by scoring a unanimous decision over Ruiz to snatch back the crown in December.
The 38-year-old Pulev (28-1, 14 KOs) hasn't tasted defeat in nearly six years when he suffered his only pro loss — a knockout at the hands of Wladimir Klitschko in November 2014 — and feels more than ready to do battle with Joshua.
“I am happy to have the opportunity to show the world how strong I really am” Pulev said. “Becoming the heavyweight champion has always been a dream of mine and on June 20, 2020 I will fulfil my destiny!”
If anything, Monday's formal announcement of Joshua vs. Pulev was merely a formality, as Matchroom Boxing USA president Eddie Hearn had already mentioned the bout Friday, and it was just a matter of reaching an agreement on the terms.
That being said, Hearn is driven to work toward signing a deal for Joshua to face the Fury-Wilder 3 winner before the year is up. Pulev and Fury are both promoted by Top Rank's Bob Arum.
"If there's no step aside, let Fury and Wilder go again in July, we'll box on June 20," Hearn told DAZN, "and then we can agree now, we can sign now for the undisputed fight in December of this year."