Comments Thread For: Kubrat Pulev puts Itauma on hold, defends belt vs. Murat Gassiev on December 12

[BoxingUpdates]

Kubrat Pulev is set to defend his WBA secondary heavyweight title on Friday, December 12 when he meets former unified cruiserweight champion Murat Gassiev, according to a press release.
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[Goatintheboat]

Well if this fight goes ahead Pulev should be stripped of the belt

[hitmanjosh]

Kubrat has to be with Don King he’s about 137 years old and still getting opportunities, what the hell!

[Scotland The Brave]

Congratulations to Gassiev on becoming the new heavyweight (fake) champion of the world on 12 December. Pulev is a walking corpse at the moment. Gassiev is a quality operator and this should be a foregone conclusion.

[Coverdale]

Looks like the WBA will have to create an 'interim' bauble for Itauma, but wait, they already did that for Wardley. Has their ever been a 'interim interim' champion?

Gassiev is #12 with the WBA, since losing to Wallin two years ago he's beaten two domestic fighters. Needless to say, neither Pulev or Gassiev is in the TBRB top ten.

If anyone is confused about how we reached this farcical situation, here's a brief recap. Charr picked up the vacant 'regular' bauble when he beat Ustinov back in 2017. He didn't fight again for 3.5 years during which time he was stripped (the reasons for which were contested in court).

Daniel Dubois eventually held the trinket which should have been eliminated permanently when he lost to Usyk the first time in a 2023 mandatory consolidation. However, owing to a court settlement, Charr was reinstated soon after (presumably because the WBA couldn't afford to just pay him off). Part of the court settlement stipulated that Charr must face two mandatories against WBA ranked contenders.

Pulev was moved back into the WBA's top 15 for the sole purpose of facilitating a 'defence' which eventually occurred in December 2024 following delays which Charr lost. The WBA have since allowed Pulev to sit on the belt for almost a year and presumably lost patience when their tenuously proposed Pulev - Hunter / Wardley - Miller elimination series fell apart which has resulted in a third WBA heavyweight world belt being created.

We will now see how much more leniency the WBA is prepared to show the 44 year old Pulev following this announcement.

[VislorTurlough]

Better on paper than Hunter - who has been getting bad career advice

[landotter]

Looks like the WBA will have to create an 'interim' bauble for Itauma, but wait, they already did that for Wardley. Has their ever been a 'interim interim' champion?

Gassiev is #12 with the WBA, since losing to Wallin two years ago he's beaten two domestic fighters. Needless to say, neither Pulev or Gassiev is in the TBRB top ten.

If anyone is confused about how we reached this farcical situation, here's a brief recap. Charr picked up the vacant 'regular' bauble when he beat Ustinov back in 2017. He didn't fight again for 3.5 years during which time he was stripped (the reasons for which were contested in court).

Daniel Dubois eventually held the trinket which should have been eliminated permanently when he lost to Usyk the first time in a 2023 mandatory consolidation. However, owing to a court settlement, Charr was reinstated soon after (presumably because the WBA couldn't afford to just pay him off). Part of the court settlement stipulated that Charr must face two mandatories against WBA ranked contenders.

Pulev was moved back into the WBA's top 15 for the sole purpose of facilitating a 'defence' which eventually occurred in December 2024 following delays which Charr lost. The WBA have since allowed Pulev to sit on the belt for almost a year and presumably lost patience when their tenuously proposed Pulev - Hunter / Wardley - Miller elimination series fell apart which has resulted in a third WBA heavyweight world belt being created.

We will now see how much more leniency the WBA is prepared to show the 44 year old Pulev following this announcement.

As I read all that, the music associated with the circus was playing in my head to back it all up. What a farce. I am excited for a future where all the alphabet titles are in the past and the sanctioning bodies behind them defunct. I hate that boxing is becoming a niche sport, but a brighter future may still happen if it falls far enough that these worthless, political, playing favorites organizations fail. Sorta the ultimate "addition by subtraction" thing. Boxing could come out on the other side a stronger, more enjoyable sport.

[landotter]

Congratulations to Gassiev on becoming the new heavyweight (fake) champion of the world on 12 December. Pulev is a walking corpse at the moment. Gassiev is a quality operator and this should be a foregone conclusion.

Yeah, I would gamble on Gassiev as well. I at least respect Gassiev from his time as part of the deepest, most competitive, and active CW division ever. Him gaining the pale imitation of a already belittled title is not much, but he will be able to package himself as a former 2 division world champ in retirement. I hope that will help him with his finances moving forward.

[steeve steel]

Pulev has a belt?? LOL What an era!

[El_Mero]

What belt?