TheCable

The world heavyweight title fight between Anthony Joshua, British heavyweight boxer of Nigerian heritage, and Kubrat Pulev of Bulgaria, his mandatory challenger, has been postponed.

The 30-year-old British champion was supposed to face Pulev at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London on June 20.

But in a statement issued on its website on Friday, Matchroom Boxing, Joshua’s promoter, said a new date for the fight “was being worked on”.

“Anthony Joshua’s defence of his IBF, WBA, WBO and IBO Heavyweight World Titles against Mandatory Challenger Kubrat Pulev scheduled to take place at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday June 20 has been postponed,” the statement read.

“A new date for the event promoted by Matchroom Boxing and 258 Management in association with Top Rank and Epic Sports Entertainment is currently being worked on. We will announce any updates in due course and continue to explore the possibility of hosting this fight at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.”

The British-Nigerian boxer was initially due to fight Pulev at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium in October 2017. The Bulgarian, however, withdrew after suffering a shoulder injury during sparring.

The statement from Matchroom Boxing also comes at about the same time when the COVID-19 pandemic is ravaging through the United Kingdom and the world.

Joshua had recently gone into self-isolation after meeting with Prince Charles, who tested positive for the disease.