By Carlos Boogs

IBF heavyweight champion Charles Martin (23-0-1, 21 KOs)is prepared to travel over to the UK to fight Olympic gold medal winner Anthony Joshua (15-0, 15KOs) on April 9th at the O2 Arena in London.  

Martin captured the vacant IBF belt last month with a third round TKO of Czar Glazkov at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.

Joshua's last fight took place in December, when he stopped domestic rival Dillian Whyte in seven rounds. Martin is on a KO streak as well with his last 13 ending inside the distance.

According to Martin, his team approached Joshua's promoter Eddie Hearn of Matchroom Sport about fighting in April and their advances were rejected. 

"So my team tells me Anthony Joshua is scared to fight me on April 9. How much more time you need sweetheart?," Martin stated on the social networks.

Joshua is highly ranked at number 5 under the IBF, but because of some vacancies above him, the sanctioning body is ready to offer him a final eliminator against Carlos Takam, who is being  mentioned as a possible opponent for Joshua for the April date.

Charles, who is not obligated to make a mandatory defense until next January, seems ready to face Joshua right now. Joshua is also highly ranked under the WBC and within a hair of landing an eliminator to become the next mandatory challenger for WBC champion Deontay Wilder, who currently owes a mandatory defense to Alexander Povetkin.