Things became very heated in London, as the main event boxers had to be separated and nearly brawled at the official weigh-in. Anthony Joshua will return to the ring this Saturday to defend his WBA, IBF, WBO, IBO heavyweight titles against Bulgaria’s Kubrat Pulev. (photos by Mark Robinson)
For the Briton, it will be the first defense in his new phase as a champion and he will do it at Wembley Arena in London, where his best battles have taken place.
Joshua had a tough 2019 when he fell by knockout to Andy Ruiz. His U.S. debut was marred by the American-Mexican’s heavy hitting in June when he lost all his crowns on a bitter night. However, “AJ” proved that he is one of the most resilient fighters in boxing today and returned in December to take revenge on Ruiz and beat him by unanimous decision in a massive event in Saudi Arabia.
The victory allowed the 31-year-old fighter to regain his belts, which will be at stake this Saturday against Pulev.
The challenger is one of the most dangerous heavyweight boxers. The native of Sofia is a strong man, overwhelming, and at his 39 years of age he knows he got a chance he can’t miss. The only defeat of his career was against Wladimir Klitschko in 2014, and he comes into this fight with a streak of eight victories in the last six years.
The fight at Wembley will admit public. About a thousand people will be able to enter and enjoy the event organized by Matchroom this Saturday. During the week, there will be different promotional activities aimed at the fans and the press, while the official weigh-in ceremony will take place on Friday.
Joshua has a record of 23 wins, 1 loss, and 21 KOs. Pulev, on the other hand, has a record of 28 wins, 1 loss, and 14 KOs.