Bulgarian Kubrat Pulev may finally get his chance to challenge Briton Anthony Joshua for his world heavyweight boxing crowns in December.
The bout was previously scheduled for London's Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on June 20, but was postponed by the COVID-19 pandemic - the latest delay to a long-awaited encounter.
Pulev, the mandatory IBF challenger, has posted online, claiming the fight will now take place in London on December 12.
"There is no way back, no postponement, no rescheduling!" he declares on Facebook. "Let the better one win!"
So far, Joshua's promoter, Eddie Hearn, has issued no official confirmation.
Pulev's announcement seems to rule out moving the encounter to Saudi Arabia, where Joshua regained his IBF, WBA, WBO and IBO belt from Any Ruiz last December.
With the coronavirus still wreaking havoc on sporting events in the United Kingdom, the fight would probably take place without spectators in London, but a Middle East venue would allow a paying audience to attend.
Pulev, 39, was originally matched against Joshua in October 2017, but withdrew, after sustaining a shoulder injury in training. Since then, he has fought only three times, defeating Brit Hughie Fury, Romanian Bogdan Dinu and American Rydell Booker.
In 29 professional fights, Pulev's only loss came six years ago, when Ukrainian Wladimir Klitschko stopping him in the fifth round of an IBF title challenge.
If confirmed, the showdown would prime Joshua for a potential unification meeting with WBC world champion Tyson Fury, who now seems unlikely to face American Deontay Wilder in the third leg of their trilogy series this year.
With the deadline running down on their rematch agreement, British reports suggest Fury is eyeing a local opponent, also in December, before taking on Joshua next year.
