Pulev tipped to floor Joshua

Our Reporter

Kubrat Pulev will inflict another crushing defeat on Anthony Joshua – and then offer him a rematch, says the Bulgarian’s manager Ivaylo Gotsev.

Pulev is the IBF mandatory challenger for Joshua, who avenged his shock loss to Andy Ruiz Jr with a points victory in an immediate rematch in Saudi Arabia in December.

And Gotsev has suggested that Britain’s heavyweight star will again need a return bout after suffering another setback in his rescheduled world title fight with Pulev.

“Yeah, we’ll give it to him, just like he did with Ruiz, but I can assure one thing – Kubrat is going to be ready for the rematch as well,” Gotsev told Sky Sports.

“He’s not going to let himself go like Ruiz did, for whatever reasons. I mean that wasn’t serious. Kubrat is a serious contender, he’s a No 1 contender, the mandatory contender. He got there by blood, sweat and tears, and he’s legitimate.

“He is the biggest fight of AJ’s career, right now, coming up.

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“Once again, AJ did not impress in his last performance. The first fight against Ruiz he looked like a deer in the headlights and the second one he ran like a deer.

“They know this is a serious fight and quite honestly, Kubrat seems to think that AJ is very afraid of him and that’s why it’s taking so long. I happen to agree.”

Pulev’s promoter Bob Arum insists that Croatia remains a potential location for the fight, but Matchroom Boxing boss Eddie Hearn has maintained that his ‘absolute priority’ is to deliver a homecoming clash for Joshua in the UK.