Anthony Joshua self-isolating after news Prince Charles has coronavirus
IBF, WBA and WBO heavyweight world champion met the Prince of Wales on 9 March at the Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey where The Queen was also in attendance, but is said to be ‘fit and well’ at home
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Heavyweight world champion Anthony Joshua is at home in self-isolation after the news that Prince Charles has contracted coronavirus, with the two meeting 16 days ago at Westminster Abbey.
Joshua was in attendance at the Commonwealth Day service on 9 March alongside Prince Charles, 71, as well as The Queen, and a spokesman for the British boxer confirmed that he is “fit and well” while remaining at home following the UK government’s coronavirus lockdown.
It was announced on Wednesday morning that the Prince of Wales had become the highest member of the British establishment to test positive for coronavirus, with Clarence House confirming that he had shown mild symptoms “but otherwise remains in good health”.
Thirty-year-old Joshua is due to fight Bulgarin Kubrat Pulev on 20 June, although the fight had a provisional second date already planned on 25 July due to the uncertainty surrounding the coronavirus crisis.
An official spokesman said that Joshua has not shown any signs of coronavirus and has spent this week self-isolating at home regardless due to the government’s enforced lockdown.
“AJ is at home following government guidelines, he is fit and well,” a spokesman said. “He wishes everyone affected a speedy recovery and a huge thank you to all the front line key workers.”
The British Boxing Board of Control this week extended their ban on all boxing events until the end of April, and while Joshua’s bout at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium falls outside of that period of suspension, promoter Eddie Hearn admitted that there is no guarantee of the fight going ahead on 20 June.
A decision to postpone the fight is expected to come as early as this week, with Tyson Fury’s WBC heavyweight title defence against Deontay Wilder scheduled for 18 July also looking likely to be delayed.
As a result of the uncertainty, talks immediately began between Hearn and Tottenham to organise a second provisional date on 25 July, which would give the UK an additional month to deal with the coronavirus outbreak and return everyday life closer to normality, which will need to be require for the fight to go ahead at all given the medical personnel required to be at a professional boxing event.
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