BoxRec

"Anthony Joshua vs. Kubrat Pulev Set To Be Ordered, Says IBF"

Lindsey Tucker, the Championship Chairman of the International Boxing Federation, confirmed to BS.com that IBF heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua (19-0, 19 KOs) and mandatory challenger Kubrat Pulev (25-1, 13 KOs) will be ordered to begin negotiations in the coming days.

Only one day prior, in Bulgaria, Pulev stayed active with a twelve round unanimous decision victory over veteran Kevin Johnson, who Joshua stopped in two rounds.

Before the week is out, the IBF is planning to send out a letter ordering both sides to begin negotiations for the fight.

"His mandatory challenger is Kubrat Pulev, he's number two and we'll probably be sending out a notification letter one day this week to start negotiations," stated Tucker to BS.com.

Joshua could find himself in the same predicament as his country rival, Tyson Fury.

Klitschko also has an immediate rematch clause for a second fight with Joshua. If Klitschko exercises that clause, then Joshua will likely lose the IBF belt. This scenario is no surprise to Joshua's promoter Eddie Hearn, who warned the local press that his boxer would have a hard time holding on to the IBF belt with a mandatory defense hanging over their heads.

If he has to vacate, we probably get Pulev vs Takam for the IBF title, which is actually a pretty good fight..

Pulev will give trouble to Joshua and has the possibility of winning since he is very skilled and Joshua's size wont be much problem too as Pulev won 3 good and bigger opponents.

Hasn't Pulev turned down Joshua in the past. I don't think this will happen but I do see Joshua having a defence before his next big fight.

brian13 wrote:Hasn't Pulev turned down Joshua in the past. I don't think this will happen but I do see Joshua having a defence before his next big fight.

He was mando, he stalled the fight to take place at a later time, due to his commitments of fighting Samuel Peter lol

I overheard Anthony Joshua talking to one of Wladimir Klitschko’s entourage within the ring, shortly after their fight, and I heard him saying that he “really couldn’t give a fúckíng shít” about the titles (those were his actual words). He just wants the biggest fights for the biggest paydays.

So I personally believe that AJ won’t allow any of the governing bodies to dictate the direction of his career, unless it conveniently falls in line with his plans.

A mega-money rematch against Wladimir Klitschko is worth much more to AJ, financially, prestige and exposure, as well as being better for the sport in general, than to see him face the likes of Kubrat Pulev or Luis Ortiz.

If Anthony Joshua faces Kubrat Pulev, it’ll be because Eddie Hearn wants him to, because he may not have a bigger fight lined-up for him.

Anthony Joshua’s revenue stream will not be affected in any way if the WBA and IBF strip him of his titles.

brian13 wrote:Hasn't Pulev turned down Joshua in the past. I don't think this will happen but I do see Joshua having a defence before his next big fight.

I think that was because Pulev would get a higher % of the purse as a mandatory than a voluntary so he was happy to wait.

I like Joshua vs Pulev and I think it would be a good test for AJ but I think it's quite likely that Hearn isn't going to make a Joshua fight that isn't at a large stadium or Vegas and I don't see this fight doing that.

the_doctor wrote:

brian13 wrote:Hasn't Pulev turned down Joshua in the past. I don't think this will happen but I do see Joshua having a defence before his next big fight.

I think that was because Pulev would get a higher % of the purse as a mandatory than a voluntary so he was happy to wait.

I like Joshua vs Pulev and I think it would be a good rest for AJ but I think it's quite likely that Hearn isn't going to make a Joshua fight that isn't at a large stadium or Vegas and I don't see this fight doing that.

How many fights will?

Ruthless-RKO wrote:

brian13 wrote:Hasn't Pulev turned down Joshua in the past. I don't think this will happen but I do see Joshua having a defence before his next big fight.

He was mando, he stalled the fight to take place at a later time, due to his commitments of fighting Samuel Peter lol

I thought the issue was that he wasn't named mandatory yet, hence wouldn't get the larger cut that comes with that status.

crusader wrote: How many fights will?

Personally, I think Klitschko rematch, Wilder, Haye and Fury would be huge Stadium fights. Parker possibly if he got a bit more exposure over here.

Ya, I can see those fights being huge, but I can also see half of them not happening. I'm not sure if the HW depth is there for AJ to ignore guys like Pulev, though obviously the priority will be with bigger names.

Good fight. Part from Wlad Pulev would be AJs best opponent.

the_doctor wrote:

brian13 wrote:Hasn't Pulev turned down Joshua in the past. I don't think this will happen but I do see Joshua having a defence before his next big fight.

I think that was because Pulev would get a higher % of the purse as a mandatory than a voluntary so he was happy to wait.

I like Joshua vs Pulev and I think it would be a good test for AJ but I think it's quite likely that Hearn isn't going to make a Joshua fight that isn't at a large stadium or Vegas and I don't see this fight doing that.

IBF purse bid gives mandarorys 25%

I dont think it mattere about that tbh, because you negotiate anyway..

Ya, but going by their financial power, AJ-Pulev is more like 99-1 than 75-25

25 percent would be very good money for Pulev considering the type of bid the fight would likely get if it came to that, and it at least gives him a nice amount that he can use as leverage in getting a deal signed...

Ruthless-RKO wrote:

the_doctor wrote:

brian13 wrote:Hasn't Pulev turned down Joshua in the past. I don't think this will happen but I do see Joshua having a defence before his next big fight.

I think that was because Pulev would get a higher % of the purse as a mandatory than a voluntary so he was happy to wait.

I like Joshua vs Pulev and I think it would be a good test for AJ but I think it's quite likely that Hearn isn't going to make a Joshua fight that isn't at a large stadium or Vegas and I don't see this fight doing that.

IBF purse bid gives mandarorys 25%

I dont think it mattere about that tbh, because you negotiate anyway..

It actually matters a lot. Pulev brings zero to the table. He'll get a terrible deal than if he came in with nothing. He has a lot more leverage as a mandatory.

Either way, I have doubts AJ takes it as he has a contract to Klitschko, like Fury did. I think they're bound to strip AJ like they did with Fury. Last I read on Twitter, Klitschko says we'll be seeing him again.

Ruthless-RKO wrote:

brian13 wrote:Hasn't Pulev turned down Joshua in the past. I don't think this will happen but I do see Joshua having a defence before his next big fight.

He was mando, he stalled the fight to take place at a later time, due to his commitments of fighting Samuel Peter lol

It was for more money. He'll get more money as manditory.

Ruthless-RKO wrote:If he has to vacate, we probably get Pulev vs Takam for the IBF title, which is actually a pretty good fight..

Yes!

Oh no ...meaningless fight

Ruthless-RKO wrote:

brian13 wrote:Hasn't Pulev turned down Joshua in the past. I don't think this will happen but I do see Joshua having a defence before his next big fight.

He was mando, he stalled the fight to take place at a later time, due to his commitments of fighting Samuel Peter lol

In the macho world of boxing forums, it's easy to fault a fighter anytime he turns down any fight for any reason. In the real world of boxing, after you get knocked out cold, you usually take off 8-12 months before you fight a bum, and then fight some gatekeeper 5-6 months after that, and then take another 4-6 months before you return to the level you were at before getting KO'd. When people get head injuries, they aren't just like "Cool, let's rush back into getting hit in the head by more world class opponents. I don't need to heal or anything." Not to mention that concussions can potentially result in mini-strokes and loss of muscle memory, which pretty much means you'd have to learn how to box all over again.

What the hell are you talking about?

Lackeos wrote:Concussions can potentially result in mini-strokes and loss of muscle memory, which pretty much means you'd have to learn how to box all over again.

If a concussion is bad enough, you DIE!! ... But when a boxer is hurt so bad that he loses his motor skills—such as boxing—he has a lot of other problems as well.. He'd be like Wilfred Benitez or Gerald McClellan.. His career would be over.. That is not Pulev's predicament -- he never learned how to box real well to begin with.. He used a power jab to beat people up with and that was basically his outstanding skill-set besides being a good absorber.. He was never really a world class Heavyweight.

Ruthless-RKO wrote:If he has to vacate, we probably get Pulev vs Takam for the IBF title, which is actually a pretty good fight..

That is a good fight, and the type of fight between contenders we hardly see any more. I think Takam takes him.

This probably won't be AJ's next fight.