Anthony Joshua vs. Kubrat Pulev: Fight Odds, Time, Date, Live Stream and TV Info
Anthony Joshua will make his long-awaited return to the ring Saturday night, defending his WBA, WBO and IBF world heavyweight titles against Kubrat Pulev at Wembley Arena in London.
Joshua's (23-1, 21 KOs) title defense comes a little more than a year after his redemptive unanimous-decision win over Andy Ruiz Jr. in Saudi Arabia, which restored him to the top of the division after Ruiz's historic upset in June 2019.
Back on the throne, Joshua has his sights set on defeating Pulev (28-1, 14 KOs) to potentially set up a superfight with Tyson Fury, the undefeated WBC world champion.
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Pulev, a popular fighter in his native Bulgaria, is a big underdog but cannot be taken lightly. Joshua has already suffered one major upset in his career. Another loss on a big stage would be an incredible setback for one of the more exciting knockout artists in recent years.
Joshua vs. Pulev Fight Info
When: Saturday, Dec. 12 at 1 p.m. ET
Where: Wembley Arena in London
Live stream: DAZN
TV: Sky Sports Box Office (UK)
Odds: Joshua -1250 (wager $1250 to win $100), Pulev +600
Joshua rose to the top of the heavyweight division thanks to his quick, ruthless destruction of overmatched opponents. He looked unstoppable during his meteoric ascent, but his years with the titles have been far more interesting.
He was knocked down by Wladimir Klitschko in their epic heavyweight title fight in 2017 before earning the win with an 11th-round TKO. He picked up the WBO strap with a somewhat frustrating decision win over Joseph Parker, and then of course there was his dispiriting stoppage loss to Ruiz in 2019.
Joshua's team will be hoping there isn't too much drama against Pulev on Saturday. It's his first title defense since the win over Ruiz, and a straightforward mauling would do well to shore up the 31-year-old's confidence and get people excited for a potential fight with Fury. Joshua is well aware of what's at stake here.
"I just can't underestimate this guy," Joshua said, per Yahoo Sports' Kevin Iole. "Remember, I've lost before and I never want to lose again. So, for the Tyson Fury question, I want to compete with him one day, so the only way to prove who's No. 1 is by getting past Pulev and having the opportunity to compete with him. That's how I go about proving who's No. 1."
A stoppage win would be great, but Joshua showed he can alter his strategy if he gets into trouble. He dominated Ruiz with the jab in Saudi Arabia last time out, and a similar showing might be what's needed to get a result against Pulev. The 39-year-old has slimmed down and believes he can pull off an upset against Joshua.
"I feel a little lighter and at my best like this," the Bulgarian challenger said Wednesday, per the Guardian's Donald McRae. "A boxer must have power and speed and right now I feel very dangerous."
Pulev has just one loss on his record, a fifth-round knockout at Klitschko's hands in 2014. He hasn't faced the same level of competition as some of the other top heavyweight contenders, but he's a solid fighter.
Joshua has a longer reach than Pulev (82", to 79.5", per BoxRec), so the champ may opt to start off establishing the jab and then look to trade if he feels Pulev's chin isn't up to the task. At the same time, Pulev will also be looking to see whether Joshua is vulnerable to the big punches.
If Joshua gets the win, he will surely push for the career-defining bout against Fury, although another obstacle stands in the way. Oleksandr Usyk, a former unified cruiserweight world champion who moved up to heavyweight in 2019, is reportedly looking to trigger his mandatory WBO challenge bout in 2021, per Sky Sports' James Dielhenn. Usyk would be an interesting opponent for Joshua, although it would delay (and potentially derail) a fight against Fury.
But all of this is moot if Pulev does what Ruiz did and wins Saturday night. It would be a massive blow to Joshua's career and completely scramble the narratives developing at the top of the heavyweight division. Pulev has the potential to be a major spoiler; it's up to Joshua to stop him.
Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.
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