Kubrat Pulev feels he is being overlooked by Anthony Joshua and has labeled the British world champion as arrogant, as he prepares to go to war in London later this year. The pair were set to face off in June before the COVID-19 pandemic called sport to a halt but now there is light at the end of the tunnel, with the bout being planned for December.
It will be the second time that Joshua, who has not boxed on British soil since September 2018, prepares to defend his belts against Pulev.
The two heavyweights were set to face off in Cardiff in 2017 at the Principality Stadium before the IBF mandatory was ruled out of the contest with a shoulder injury.
Carlos Takam stepped in at late notice and gave AJ a tough night following a controversial tenth-round stoppage.
Now Pulev has vowed to set the record straight and end Joshua’s hopes of an all-British undisputed clash with Tyson Fury, which has already been preliminary agreed on initial terms.
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In an interview via the Betway Insider blog, Pulev said: “I stopped training because I was injured and he didn’t believe me, he was a little bit arrogant. He said: ‘if I was Pulev I could box with this injury’, but it’s not so easy.
“God showed us it’s not good to speak too much and that’s why he is now injured with his leg. I wait patiently and when he is ready and healthy, we can fight.”
The Bulgarian feels as though AJ is expecting to walk right through him and claims it will actually be him that takes on the Gypsy King in 2021.
“This is also very arrogant. Talking about Fury because he doesn’t think about my fight, like last time with [Andy] Ruiz. But life showed him that this is very bad when someone does that. That’s why he will take his second knockout of his life. We will show him and the whole world,” he added.
“I’m now next in line for Fury and I think after AJ, I will fight with Tyson Fury because Joshua is going to lose and he does not think I’m a big problem – but I will show him really new things.”
AJ was last in action in December when he reclaimed his IBF, WBA and WBO straps with a unanimous points decision victory over Ruiz Jr in Saudi Arabia.
Now he looks set for his homecoming, with London favourite to host the bout which was initially penciled in for the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Despite his triumph in Riyadh, Pulev claims Joshua is scared of fighting outside of the UK following his first career defeat against Ruiz, when he was stunned at Maddison Square Garden in June 2019.
“We have one heavyweight champion [Joshua] and he is too slow all the time to agree a date. We understand the world pandemic and everything but I think we can fight this year and I prepare to do this – it does not matter where, which day, I’m ready, we are training and I wait for the date,” Pulev said.
“December 5th is what we’ve heard and I hear London is favourite to host.
“We think London because maybe he is scared and he wants to fight there. Normally we can fight anywhere in the world not only in London – but for me it’s no problem, I can fight anywhere. I’m ready, I’m hungry, and I know I am going to win.
“It does not matter where it is, I’m ready – it’s just important to win. It doesn’t matter whether it’s on a boat, or in a stadium, in Europe, in the USA, or in Saudi Arabia, it doesn’t matter to me.
“This will be a win for my country as Bulgaria has never had a heavyweight champion of the world, this win will not only be for me but a win for all people from my country and I want to make them really happy.”
Original interview came via the Betway Insider blog, where you can find all the latest sporting insight and tips.