Anthony Joshua vs. Kubrat Pulev live results and highlights

Anthony Joshua vs. Kubrat Pulev live results and highlights

A little more than exactly one year after winning back the WBA, IBF, WBO and IBO heavyweight titles, Anthony Joshua will put those belts on the line against Kubrat Pulev in the main event of a Matchroom Boxing card at the SSE Arena in London.

This world title encounter was initially set to take place three years ago as Joshua’s first world title bout since winning the then-vacant WBA and IBO heavyweight titles by finishing Wladimir Klitschko in April 2017. Pulev, however, pulled out due to injury 12 days before the October 2017 bout and was replaced by Carlos Takam.

Today’s title defense against Pulev is Joshua’s first fight since his rematch with Andy Ruiz Jr. in Saudi Arabia — which came six months after Ruiz defeated Joshua for the four world titles at New York’s Madison Square Garden and handed Joshua his first pro loss in his U.S. debut. Joshua easily won the December 2019 rematch in Saudi Arabia in a one-sided decision.

Pulev, a former European heavyweight champion whose only loss came in a 2014 IBF title fight with Klitschko, was the IBF mandatory challenger in the originally scheduled 2017 bout with Joshua. Pulev regained that status with an October 2018 win over Hughie Fury, cousin to current WBC and lineal heavyweight champion Tyson Fury.

Pulev was briefly suspended and stripped of this status, however, when he accused of sexual harassment for kissing a female reporter following his March 2019 win over Bogdan Dinu. Pulev re-solidified his mandatory status with a win over Rydell Booker in November 2019.

Joshua had teased that if he is successful against Pulev, he would pursue an undisputed title contest with Tyson Fury in 2021. Recent comments, however, seem to suggest Joshua believes he’ll end up fighting WBO mandatory challenger, Oleksandr Usyk, while holding off a fight with Fury until later in the new year or in 2022.

Check out the full card and results from Joshua vs. Pulev below.

Main card (DAZN, 1 p.m. ET)

Anthony Joshua vs. Kubrat Pulev

OFFICIAL RESULT: Anthony Joshua defeated Kubrat Pulev via KO, Round 9 – 2:58 – WBA, IBF, WBO and IBO heavyweight championships

Highlights:

Lawrence Okolie vs. Nikodem Jezewski

OFFICIAL RESULT: Lawrence Okolie defeated Nikoden Jezewski via TKO, Round 2 – 1:45 – Vacant WBO international junior-heavyweight championship

Highlights:

Hughie Fury vs. Mariusz Wach

OFFICIAL RESULT: Hughie Fury defeated Mariusz Wach via unanimous decision (100-90 x2, 99-91)

Read a recap of the fight here.

Highlights:

Martin Bakole vs. Sergey Kuzmin

OFFICIAL RESULT: Martin Bakole defeated Sergey Kuzmin via unanimous decision (98-92, 97-93, 96-94) – For vacant WBC international heavyweight championship

Highlights:

Macaulay McGowan vs. Kieron Conway

OFFICIAL RESULT: Kieron Conway defeated Macaulay McGowan via unanimous decision (100-90, 100-89 x2)

Highlights:

Florian Marku vs. Jamie Stewart

OFFICIAL RESULT: Florian Marku vs. Jamie Stewart goes to a draw (76-76)

Highlights:

Undercard (Facebook Exclusive)

Qais Ashfaq vs. Ashley Lane

OFFICIAL RESULT: Qais Ashfaq defeated Ashley Lane via fourth-round TKO

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