Anthony Joshua's Next Opponent Suggests He Could Step Aside To Let AJ Fight Tyson Fury

 

Kubrat Pulev has admitted that he could step aside to allow Anthony Joshua to face Tyson Fury next instead, Allnews reports.

Meanwhile, the Bulgarian badly wants a title shot for himself.

With Fury now carrying the WBC belt, Joshua’s WBA, IBF and WBO straps can finally be put on the table in a winner-takes-all match.

But before Wilder even exercised his option for a trilogy fight, the looming obstacle of IBF mandatory challenger Pulev cast a shadow on the horizon.

However, the Sofia-native (who turns 39 on Monday) could well be tempted into accepting a financial package which would be generous enough for him to step aside.

“We have signed contracts for that fight (versus Joshua) and everything is ready,” Pulev, who had to pull out of a 2017 fight against 'AJ' due to injury, told BoxingScene.

“We worked on this contract for maybe two months and it was not so easy.

"But now we have this contract and I am ready.

“I don’t want to wait. I want the title fight with Anthony Joshua and I will beat him really good and get the second knockout against him.

“I am the mandatory challenger and these are the rules.

"It doesn’t matter who wants to box him or who he wants to box. Anthony Joshua has to box me.”

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However, when asked if he would consider letting the British stars fight first, the veteran appeared to have mellowed somewhat.

“I am ready for this fight against Joshua, so I don’t know. Nobody knows. I want this fight,” stated Pulev.

“When somebody comes to me and tells me something and offers me something, maybe. I don’t know, but I want this fight.

“I am ready for this fight and I believe this fight will happen this year. I’ve waited a long time for this fight with Anthony Joshua.

“I am the longtime mandatory for this fight, but I am open for talking, no problem. But I want this fight. That’s it.

“I am ready to fight everywhere,” Pulev continued. “It doesn’t matter if it’s London or anywhere else.

“Anthony Joshua said the fight had to be in London and I said, ‘OK, no problem.'”