Lack of suitable Nigerian venue driving Joshua to Las Vegas

• World Champion will fight Pulev if Klitschko retires

Boxing pundits believe that Nigeria does not have the type of venue capable of hosting World Heavyweight Boxing Champion, Anthony Joshua’s title defence due to the number of people expected to travel for the fight wherever it is staged.

Report unian.info reports that Joshua’s minders have made up their mind that his next fight will be at Las Vegas, regarded as the boxing capital of the world.

Joshua’s last fight against Klitschko at the Wembley stadium was watched by 90,000 fans inside the arena with more than millions of others watching it on pay-per-view television.
Joshua had earlier inferred that he would like to defend thee title in Nigerian, but at the weekend he confirmed that his next bout would definitely hold in Las Vegas.

Joshua thinks the prospect of a fight in Las Vegas may tempt Wladimir Klitschko to take him on once again, Sky Sports reported.
But Joshua says he will be happy to take on mandatory challenger Kubrat Pulev if Klitschko decides against a rematch, according to Sky Sports.

Joshua stopped Klitschko in the 11th round of an enthralling contest at Wembley in April to add the WBA and IBO heavyweight titles to his IBF belt. The boxing world is now eagerly waiting to find out whether the duo will square off again and Joshua told Sky Sports on Saturday night that the decision rests with the Ukrainian.

“The ball is in Klitschko’s court,” said Joshua. “I am going to continue my career. It is up to him whether he wants to have a rematch or whether he says, ‘you know what, that’s enough’.

“But I think, whatever he decides to do, we all respect him, and plan B would be look at the option with Pulev, and where we would fight him and the options available for the Pulev fight. “Now I have the IBF, WBA and IBO (belts) there are obligations with mandatory challenges and Pulev is one.

“So either it will be Klitschko, which would be great, or Pulev, which would be great. I am not bothered either way.” There has been talk of Joshua-Klitschko II taking place in Las Vegas and Joshua thinks the prospect of a fight in the unofficial boxing capital of the world might prove hard to resist for the older man, who enhanced his formidable reputation with his brave display in London.

“He gained a lot of admiration and respect (at Wembley), even though he lost,” Joshua added. “Vegas, it is the mecca of boxing and this is an opportunity. “People wouldn’t mind traveling and it is a nice big hurrah for himself. He has achieved so much, does he have the motivation? “I think Vegas will get his blood boiling again.”