Bulgarian news outlet btv.bg reports that Kubrat Pulev has suffered a chest injury and will pull out from his upcoming fight against Anthony Joshua on October 28th next Saturday.
According to boxingscene.com, Pulev has a rupture of the thoracic muscle and the injury will take a month to recover.
“Btv.bg say that a new date for Joshua’s IBF mandatory will be ‘scheduled in November or December’,” according to boxingscene.com
Various other sources have also confirmed that the original fight scheduled in Cardiff for the WBA, IBO and IBF titles might get cancelled and Team Joshua needs to find a new opponent in just under 14 days.
Boxingscene also reports that Pulev’s injury happened just 10 days ago and people close to the Bulgarian tried to keep it hidden from the public.
So far Eddie Hearn has not commented on Pulev’s injury.
At this point the promoter most likely has three options: cancel the event, or replace Pulev with either Dillian Whyte or number three ranked IBF challenger Carlos Takam.
BREAKING: NEW UPDATE
ESPN has confirmed that Pulev will indeed withdraw from the fight.
“Unified heavyweight titleholder Anthony Joshua’s defense against mandatory challenger Kubrat Pulev, scheduled for Oct. 28 at Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Wales, is off though efforts are in the works to salvage the card by getting a new opponent on short notice, a source with direct knowledge of the situation told ESPN. Pulev’s withdrawal from the fight has not been formally announced but he suffered a right shoulder injury in training last week that was kept secret until it was clear he could not compete,” writes Dan Rafael of ESPN.