Pulev

And each time Joshua backed off, it only encouraged Pulev to rattle.

Anthony Joshua and Kubrat Pulev have been handed three weeks to choose a location for their world title fight, with Britain and Croatia on the current shortlist, according to the Bulgarian’s manager, Ivaylo Gotsev.

Anthony Joshua and Kubrat Pulev have set a deadline for negotiations over a world heavyweight title fight, the IBF have confirmed.

Anthony Joshua and Kubrat Pulev pose with promoter Eddie Hearn during a press conference.

But Pulev's camp suggest the fight could be moved to the spectacular Pula Arena in Croatia.

But there was no escape for the challenger in the ninth round as Joshua landed a clubbing right upper-cut which sent Pulev to the canvas.

Having successfully defended his titles against Pulev, there is no talk of a rematch as Anthony Joshua’s camp is already talking about a Joshua Vs Fury fight next year.

In order for that to happen, both Wilder and Pulev will need to accept step-aside offers but the American appears reluctant to do so and Arum has urged Wilder and co-manager Al Haymon to ‘cooperate’ for the good of the sport.

It is understood Joshua's defence of his WBA, IBF and WBO crowns against Kubrat Pulev has been pencilled in for December 12 at London's O2 Arena while Fury, the WBC champion, is committed to a third bout with Deontay Wilder.

Joshua dominated the fight after a tentative couple of feeling-out process rounds, and then exploded in the third round with a series of hard shots that forced Pulev to back away from his opponent, triggering a standing count.

Joshua hunted him, desperate for the knockout, and landed a brutal barrage of uppercuts and hooks which eventually toppled Pulev to the canvas.

Joshua landed a clubbing right uppercut which sent Pulev to the canvas.

Joshua should have KO'd this pulev guy in round 4 but he laid back and let him come back into the fight.

Joshua vowed to beat Pulev, his IBF mandatory challenger, to set up a mouthwatering fight with Fury.

Joshua was initially due to fight Pulev at Cardiff's Principality Stadium in October 2017 but the Bulgarian withdrew after suffering a shoulder injury in sparring.

Pulev told Bulgarian media on Thursday that the fight would be “impossible” to put on June 20 at this point, but it seems he spoke out of turn a bit.

Speaking to Sky Sports after knocking out Pulev, Joshua directed inevitable questions about Fury to the 1,000 fans present who roared their approval for a blockbuster bout next year.

The 31-year-old uppercut was the story of this bout, because he worked the body and the head with jabs, but when the opportunity presented itself, Joshua destroyed Pulev – an amazingly tough man – with a uppercut to floor the Bulgarian in the 9th round.

The Briton was initially due to fight Pulev at CardiffтАЩs Principality Stadium in October 2017 but the Bulgarian withdrew after suffering a shoulder injury in sparring.

Twice Pulev was given a count by the referee in round three after he was left flailing on the ropes by an explosive burst of punches from Joshua.