Anthony Joshua will defend his IBF, IBO, WBA, WBO world heavyweight titles against Kubrat Pulev on June 20 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Pulev, the IBF’s mandatory challenger for the belt, has promised to put Joshua to sleep.

The Bulgarian had previously been scheduled to fight Joshua back in 2017 but suffered an injury, leading to Carlos Takam replacing him in a fight the Briton won in 10 rounds.

There had been talk of Joshua eschewing his defence against Pulev to fight Tyson Fury following his compatriot’s stunning win over Deontay Wilder last month, which saw him claim the WBC title.

However, Wilder’s decision to exercise his rematch clause means a third bout with the dangerous puncher will be Fury’s immediate focus.

That fight is likely to take place in July, with Joshua’s meeting with Pulev to be held a month earlier in London.

A post on Pulev’s Facebook account read: “The contract between the two countries is now officially signed and the battle between the Bulgarian boxer, who is the mandatory challenger for the belt of the IBF, and the British is guaranteed!”

The 38-year-old fought Wladimir Klitschko for the IBF title back in November 2014, but suffered a fifth-round knockout in a one-sided contest.

"He's been in the game for a while, he went to the top level and then he got defeated," Joshua said to William Hill.

"So he knows his way around the ring. He's had his chance at the top level and now he's coming back again, so he's probably going to try and get it right. I'll be expecting a more polished, smarter Pulev, and he can bang a bit as well. He's had a few knockouts on his record as well, he can bang and he can box so he's a boxer-puncher.

"It's kind of like what my style is as well so it will be a good match up for sure. We're going to box, people are going to see some skills, and they're probably going to see a knockout as well because you've got two boxer-punchers."

When William Hill asked Joshua for his prediction regarding when the knockout will happen, he simply said "round eleven."