By Ray Wheatley — World of Boxing

WBA, IBF heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua would like to defend the title against Kubrat Pulev at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium rather than defend the championship in Las Vegas. If he defends in Cardiff it will be October 28. The date and venue in Las Vegas would be the T-Mobile Arena on November 11.

“I’m not turning Vegas down, I’d go, but for the people it’s easier,” Joshua, 27, told Press Association Sport.”My heart always tells me the UK, because a lot of people that have supported me since the amateurs are from here, and it gives them a chance to come down and watch a heavyweight title fight without having to travel.”I know people will always make the effort but sometimes you want to make it as easy as possible for them.

“Klitschko’s unfortunately retired: it was a fight I was looking forward to again, but everything happens for a reason and now I have to go and compete with one of my mandatory challengers.

“My mandatory with Pulev has been ongoing for a year. The (WBA) mandatory with Luis Ortiz has been going on for two months; I’ve had obligations in place for the past year. (The IBF) let me and Klitschko have a unification fight. We had to sign an agreement that straight after the Klitschko fight (I would fight Pulev), provided there’s not a rematch.”