Anthony Joshua will face Kubrat Pulev in his next world heavyweight title defence on October 28 at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium.
Joshua has been ordered by the IBF to face mandatory challenger Pulev after a rematch with Wladimir Klitschko fell through when the former champ retired.
Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn knows Pulev will be a tough sell after the champ unified the IBF and WBA Super titles in his epic win over Klitschko in front of a record 90,000 crowd at Wembley.
Hearn hopes fighting under the closed roof of the Principality Stadium, where Joe Calzaghe beat Mikkel Kessler in front of over 50,000 people in 2007, will give the fight interest.
Joshua, 27, who has won all 19 of his fights inside the distance, is already in training camp, preparing for Pulev.
Cardiff has been mooted as a potential venue for Joshua’s next fight since that win over Klitschko in April, with promoter Eddie Hearn attracted by a stadium that has the ability to shut the roof in autumn weather conditions and generate a magnificent atmosphere.
The current record crowd for a boxing fight in an indoor arena is 63,000 for the Muhammad Ali v Leon Spinks fight at the New Orleans Superdome in 1978.
