Incredible how so-called boxing fans are both bitter that Fury is giving Joshua this opportunity, and how desperate they are for him to pull out of it. These are the same clowns who will be claiming Joshua has a better "resume" after he loses to Fury. Joshua can face the likes of Molina and Breazeale in consecutive title defences, as well as absolute no-hopers like Pulev and Takam, yet Fury can't face the likes of Kabayel (who is better than both).
So? There is no systematic formula for who enters title contention. It's all discussed between governing bodies and management (and the various stakeholders). Lining Joshua up against "mandatory" cans benefits all, except those who deserve a shot. Joshua was generating huge amounts of money against these crap opponents, so why stop that when everyone is being paid as handsomely as they have practically ever been paid? "But he was a mandatory" is one of the worst arguments that gets chucked about on this forum. You'd think boxing fans, of all people, would know better.
Because Pulev is **** and stands in the middle of the ring in a Tong Po stance with feed stuck in quicksand and hasn't beaten anyone good despite being over 40.
The fight has to happen now for any relevance - hopefully Fury follows thorough and the fight takes place.
He wasn't 41 when Joshua fought him (he didn't turn pro until 28 actually), had much better pedigree and had mixed in much better company than kabayel.