Fans or no fans, Joshua vs Pulev match won't be postponed again –Promoter

The match between Anthony Joshua and Kubrat Pulev will not be postponed again even if fans are not allowed into the venue in December.

This was according to boxing promoter, Eddie Hearn, who reiterated that the bout will take place on 12 December at the O2 Arena in London.

The match had originally been scheduled to hold in June at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, but was postponed due to the spread of the coronavirus pandemic across the globe.

Promoter Hearn said the sport “can’t afford to sit and wait for what might be.”

30-year-old Joshua last fought in December 2019 when he beat Andy Ruiz Jr to reclaim his heavyweight belts which he had lost to the American earlier that year.

Bulgarian Pulev, 39, is mandatory challenger to Joshua’s IBF belt, with the Briton also holding the WBA, WBO and IBO world titles.

“We hope that there is some sunshine over the hill with this whole nightmare.

“We are not prepared to sit tight and wait and we have said in these schedules, fans or no fans, our fights will be taking place.

“If you’re a business, if you’re a sport, you can’t afford to sit and wait for what might be,” said Hearn.