Top Rank's CEO Bob Arum, the co-promoter of Kubrat Pulev, is very confident that his boxer will derail the march of IBF, IBO, WBA, WBO heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua.
Pulev will challenger Joshua for the titles on December 12th in the UK.
There has already been a lot of talk about Joshua facing WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury in a unification in 2021.
But Arum, who also co-promotes Fury, could see that possibility fall apart next month.
Arum could see Pulev exposing the flaws of Joshua in the same manner as Andy Ruiz, who dropped the British superstar four times for a stoppage win in June of 2019.
“I’m involved with everybody, including Eddie (Hearn). I said ‘don’t make plans so quick for a Fury-Joshua fight because I think Pulev is going to beat Joshua,” Arum said on the Gary Newbon Sports Show.
“Let me explain my theory. Joshua got knocked out by Andy Ruiz, who is not a puncher, never been a puncher, and I know that because thirty odd fights that Ruiz had, we promoted. He has quick hands, he’s not a bad heavyweight, but he’s not a puncher. He devastated Joshua and knocked him out.
“Then the second fight, what happened there? Joshua ran around the ring, Ruiz had celebrated so much and gotten so obese that he couldn’t catch him and that was the fight. So I think Joshua is still vulnerable and Pulev is a real tough, rugged heavyweight.”
And if Pulev pulls off the upset, there will be a rematch with Joshua.
“If Pulev beats Joshua, Eddie, for various considerations, has Pulev sign a rematch provision,” Arum said.
“So I assume if Pulev beats Joshua, Joshua will elect the rematch provision and that would make a second Joshua vs Pulev fight and so Tyson would have to look for another opponent.”
