The Anthony Joshua fight at the end of the month at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff will still go ahead but without Kubrat Pulev.

Boxing as it so often does, has thrown up one of its late spanners in the works for one of its premier world title fights later this month.

Heavyweight champion of the world Anthony Joshua (19-0-19KO) turned 28 years old just the other day and will have been taken off guard by today’s news no doubt as his final preparations conclude.

Ahead of the fight on October 28th organisers have been able to scramble to replace Bulgarian Kubrat Pulev who unfortunately injured his shoulder which prompted a call from promoter Kalle Sauerland to call Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn to install the replacement earlier today.

Anthony Joshua will now face new IBF mandatory challenger Carlos Takam instead on October 28th.

The IBO and WBA (Super) world heavyweight titles will also be on the line.

It will be interesting to see how Joshua copes with such a late change of fight styles at the last minute, who will now have to re-tweak his game plan and fight strategy with coach Rob McCracken.

Takam (35-3-1-27KO) of France has been in some solid fights in his career and will be well known to many fight fans having shared the ring with the likes of Joseph Parker, Alexander Povetkin, Mike Perez, Tony Thompson and others.