IBF #1 heavyweight Kubrat Pulev (28-1, 14 KOs) lumbered to a ten round unanimous decision over Rydell Booker (26-3, 13 KOs) on Saturday night at Chukchansi Park in Fresno, California.
The 38-year-old Pulev pressed the action, but he didn’t come close to getting a stoppage against Booker, who was carrying a lot of excess weight. Scores were 99-91, 98-92, 98-92. Pulev is the IBF mandatory challenger for the winner of the Ruiz-Joshua rematch.
“It’s been eight months from my last fight,” said Pulev. “I think my opponent was not bad. I respect him. It was a very nice fight…I controlled the whole fight, and I was the much better boxer. I showed everyone I’m at the world level, and I must fight the winner of Joshua and Ruiz!”
Pulev is #1 only in Bulgaria.
Just watched it in Fresno. Pulev better up his game before the Ruiz fight.
Pulev would be a punching bag on the outside should he fight Wilder, Joshua, or Fury. Ruiz would pepper him with fast counters that would meet his demise. Pulev really has nothing in the arsenal to seize the moment. Guess he better hang up the towel before his health becomes too big of concern for the boxing world.
And what is the “boxing world” precisely?
Pulev is an effective bruiser. He’d come up short against the likes of Fury, Wilder and Usyk but would probably beat Ruiz.
He beats Ruiz only if he lands one of his picture perfect rabbit punches.
Pulev is a great example of the gap between the top guys and the prospects coming up. I think he’d be beaten up by Fury, Ruiz and Joshua and knocked out in 5 rounds or less against Wilder. With that said, he give a good fight to guys like Whyte, Miller & Povetkin (all proven cheaters). I think he’d probably beat Parker, Chisora and you get the point. Ortiz would probably beat him, but Father Time certainly isn’t his friend and he likely will be a crushed can after the Wilder rematch.
The bottom line is the prospects can’t come soon enough. I favor Dubois, but there are quite a few to like. Joyce is the only one who seems like he needs to challenge soon, before age catches him.
He already beat Chisora
Chisora is enjoying a wave of recent success, so I included him. Bottomline is Pulev is not a true contender in my mind. Any other Division he’d be hopeless, but the proverbial puncher’s chance applies more at Heavyweight.
He was exposed by Vlad didn’t do bad but he is a lot older now and that can work for your skills or against you speed agility wise I don’t see him going up against a top 5 fighter and winning I would like to see him in a showdown with Adam Kownacki at this point it would be a risky title shot earning fight that would be high action styles do make fights.