Anthony Joshua Next Fight Rumors 2017: Wladimir Klitschko Retires; Joshua Likely to Fight Kubrat Pulev Next
It's official. Anthony Joshua will not be facing Wladimir Klitschko in a rematch.
Klitschko had a chance to reclaim his place at the top of the heavyweight division in November. But instead, he has decided to hang up his gloves after competing for over 20 years in the sport of boxing.
The former undisputed heavyweight champion deserves to enjoy life after boxing, but his retirement raises the question of who Joshua should fight next.
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There are a number of options, but according to Joshua's promoter Eddie Hearn, the International Boxing Federation (IBF), International Boxing Organization (IBO) and World Boxing Association (WBA) heavyweight champion will likely have to face mandatory IBF challenger Kubrat Pulev in his next fight.
"We have an agreement in place with the IBF that if it wasn't Klitschko it would be Pulev. It will almost certainly be Pulev next," Hearn said, via the Daily Mail.
"We need to sort out the final details but the venues don't change. It will still be Vegas or Cardiff, with Cardiff probably the frontrunner," he continued.
Hearn added that the date for the bout will probably remain the same as well, probably on Oct. 28 or Nov. 11, because Joshua wants to fight again early next year.
That makes sense. Joshua must face Pulev otherwise he will be stripped of his IBF belt. The Bulgarian may not be as popular as Klitschko, but he has a 25–1 record and his only loss was to Klitschko back in 2014. Since then, he has won five consecutive fights.
But boxing enthusiasts will probably remember that when Pulev faced Klitschko, it was a one-sided affair and the Ukrainian was never in any trouble before he knocked Pulev out in the fifth round. Can Pulev pull off a victory against someone who has beaten Klitschko?
People always say that anything can happen in boxing. However, Pulev has never been known for his punching power. If he wants to beat Joshua, he will have to outbox the champion.
