Anthony Joshua vs Kubrat Pulev: fight details, undercard, how to watch, profiles, ring walks, venue, prediction, live streaming ahead of unified world heavyweight title clash

All you need to know ahead of the world title fight between Anthony Joshua and Kubrat Pulev from London

GBN have provided viewers with all the details needed to tune in and watch the eagerly awaited unified world heavyweight title fight between defending champion Anthony Joshua (23-1, 21KOs) and IBF mandatory challenger Kubrat Pulev (28-1, 14KOs).

Date

The bout takes place on Saturday, December 12 - the same day in history that James ‘Bonecrusher’ Smith knocked out Tim Witherspoon in the first round at Madison Square Garden to win the WBA World heavyweight championship, which is just one of four belts on the line here.

 

Venue

It takes place at The SSE Arena, Wembley.

 

Rounds scheduled

12 three-minute championship rounds at heavyweight.

 

Titles

AJ’s WBA Super, IBF, WBO and IBO World heavyweight titles are all on the line.

 

Ringwalks

The ring walks are expected from 10pm UK time, but that will depend on the undercard results.

 

 

TV Coverage/ Live Stream

UK viewers can watch the fight on Sky Sports Box Office for a PPV price of £24.95. 

Whilst US viewers will be able to watch on DAZN streaming service. A monthly subscription is $19.99 and an annual subscription is $99.99. 

 

Undercard Highlights

Lawrence Okolie (14-0, 11KOs) challenges for the vacant WBO World cruiserweight title against former holder Krzysztof Glowacki (31-0,19KOs).

The 34-year-old from Poland defeated the joint-longest reigning cruiserweight world champion Marco Huck (42-5-1, 28KOs) in 2015 to win the WBO World title, which he defended once then lost to pound-for-pound superstar Oleksandr Usyk (17-0, 13KOs). He reeled off five consecutive victories, claiming the WBO interim title before receiving back his old crown after Usyk relinquished it to move up to heavyweight. He conceded it in his first defence to Latvian Mairis Briedis (26-1, 19KOs) in the WBSS semi-final.

The 27-year-old from Hackney is unbeaten in 14 fights and has collected British, Commonwealth and European cruiserweight titles already. He also holds the WBA Continental belt and is ranked WBO #2 and IBF #5. 

 

Background to the contest

Pulev is an EU Championships and European Championships amateur champion, as well as a World Championships bronze medallist. The 39-year-old Bulgarian is a two-time European titleholder and world title contender. His sole professional career defeat was to Wladimir Klitschko in 2014 where he was decked three times on his way to a fifth-round stoppage loss, with over 13 million viewers tuning in to watch the event.

This is the second time he has been made IBF mandatory and first time fighting in the UK.

Anthony Joshua OBE, is a two-time world heavyweight champion who shot to fame when he won gold at the London 2012 Olympics. The one man that beat Pulev, Joshua defeated himself in an epic battle at Wembley Stadium. Although AJ won by knockout in the 11th round, it was a back and forth war that saw both fighters touch down. The Ukrainian that Joshua fought in that fight wasn't the same dominant force that blitzed his way through Pulev though, so it's not an accurate measuring stick to go by for this forthcoming fight.

 

 

Prediction

GBN Editor Ben Davies

Anthony Joshua is going to be delighted with the return of a small number of fans and needs to do a job on a world level opponent in Kubrat Puelv, who has lost just once to Wladimir Klitschko during his professional career.

The unified heavyweight champion will no doubt seek an explosive stoppage using his power and speed, to make an early statement with Tyson Fury waiting in the wings for one of the biggest fighting clashes in British domestic history for the undisptuted heavyweight crown.

However, Kubrat Pulev has spoke with confidence and positivity ahead of the clash and will be looking to cause another dramatic upset just as Andy Ruiz did to put a sop to the big two British heavyweight fighters meeting in 2021.

Prediction: Anthony Joshua victory by way of stoppage- Rounds 6-9

 

Running Order

Anthony Joshua vs Kubrat Pulev
12x3 WBA Super, IBF, WBO, IBO World heavyweight titles

Lawrence Okolie vs Nikodem Jezewski
12x3 WBO World cruiserweight title

Hughie Fury vs Mariusz Wach
10x3 Heavyweight contest

Martin Bakole vs Sergey Kuzmin
10x3 Heavyweight contest

Macauley Mcgowan vs Kieron Conway
10x3 Superwelterweight contest

Florain Marku vs Alex Fearon

8x3 Welterweight contest

Qais Ashfaq vs Ashley Lane
10x3 Super-bantamweight contest

 

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