Anthony Joshua will defend his titles in London against Kubrat Pulev on Dec. 12.

Anthony Joshua will end the year out of the ring when he defends his WBA, IBF and WBO world heavyweight titles against Kubrat Pulev at The O2 in London, England, on Dec. 12.
It will be Joshua’s first fight in the United Kingdom since September 2018, and eighth appearance at the venue where he made his professional debut in 2013. The fight will be televised on pay-per-view Sky Sports Box Office in the UK, and on streaming service DAZN in the United States.
Joshua’s Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn is trying to get a small crowd inside the indoor, 18,000-capacity venue when the champion puts the belts on the line again for a first defence in his second reign as champion after a points win over Andy Ruiz Jr on Dec. 7 avenged a stoppage loss to the American earlier in 2019.
“Whilst it’s unusual to think of an AJ fight without tens of thousands of fans in attendance, we will be doing everything we can to lobby for the safe return of fans to this event, we have to move forward together,” Hearn said.
“I know Team Pulev and [US promoter] Bob Arum will be doing all they can to become world champion on Dec.12 but AJ constantly evolves and improves and I expect a dominant performance and a spectacular KO to close out 2020.”
Pulev (28-1, 14 KOs), 39, is the mandatory challenger to Joshua’s IBF belt after compiling eights wins since a knockout loss to Ukrainian Wladimir Klitschko, then WBA-IBF-WBO champion, in 2014. Pulev has beaten Joshua’s fellow Britons Derek Chisora and Hughie Fury since losing to Klitschko.
“This fight is for my late father and all Bulgarians around the world! I’m coming to London to seize the heavyweight championship of the world,” Pulev said.
Joshua (23-1, 21 KOs), 31, from north London, hopes victory over Pulev will set up a clash against the winner of English rival Tyson Fury versus American Deontay Wilder, who are being lined up to face each other in a third bout for Fury’s WBC version of the world title in Las Vegas on Dec. 19.
“AJ’s resume is unrivalled, and this is the final hurdle until we challenge for the undisputed crown next year,” Hearn said. Cc:@espn