this is a trip behind enemy lines as he faces Kubrat Pulev in his home country Pulev comes into this contest on the back of two successive unanimous decision wins whilst Charr will be ending two years of inactivity Here is everything you need to know ahead of Charr vs Pulev are scheduled for 8pm GMT with the broadcast set to begin at 6pm GMT Pulev will stream live on DAZN in over 200 countries across the globe (excluding Bulgaria broadcasting over 150 fights a year across boxing Sign up here for a DAZN subscription. The fight will take place in Sofia which is the capital of Bulgaria.  You can watch DAZN anywhere and everywhere thanks to the DAZN App. Watch on smartphones, smart TV's, tablets, streaming devices and web browsers. BoxingScene has confirmed that the WBA has called for a four-man heavyweight box-off involving the aforementioned boxers along with Michael Hunter and Jarrell Miller.  According to a ruling obtained by BoxingScene Pulev would defend his WBA regular title against Hunter while Wardley and Miller would vie for the interim version of the belt The winners would then have to meet by the shorter period of 180 days after their respective bouts or no later than December 31 Wardley and Miller are now due to meet on June 7 in Wardley’s hometown of Ipswich which will take place at Portman Road soccer stadium was approved to allow Queensberry Promotions to keep its date originally reserved for the previously ordered Pulev-Wardley fight Queensberry Promotions… on behalf the WBA #1 ranked contender Fabio Wardley requested the WBA to sanction an interim title shot against Jerrell Miller due to failed negotiations with [Pulev] and to avoid losing the date and venue of 7 June 2025 at Portman Road England,” WBA Championship Committee Chairman Carlos Chavez stated in Friday’s resolution The request by Queensberry came three days after Hall of Fame promoter Don King requested that Hunter 24-1-2 (17 KOs) be named as mandatory challenger given the failed talks between Pulev and Wardley both parties would see their wishes granted It required the WBA to abandon its previous attempt to reduce its number of secondary titlists “One mandatory contender for each weight class may be selected by the Championship Committee from the list of ranked boxers or by elimination,” Chavez stated in recapping WBA Rule C or a regional champion ranked in the top 5 may qualify to be named an official contender by the Championship Committee unavailable to fight for the title within the required time period “Based upon the above-mentioned Rules the WBA has express authority to modify applicable defense periods and otherwise suspend applications of various rules under a special permit and because the WBA ‘Regular’ Title was inactive for a long period of time.”  and Hunter have 30 days from Friday to reach terms for their WBA regular heavyweight title fight claimed the belt in a 12-round unanimous decision over Mahmoud Charr last December 7 in his Sofia hometown The performance extended his current three-fight win streak He was previously ordered on March 5 to next face Wardley but talks went nowhere – hence the audible called by Queensberry given the reserved homecoming headliner for its heavyweight Hunter is technically unbeaten in his last 14 starts That does not include a loss to Artem Suslenkov last May on an IBA-sanctioned card which is not recognized by official record keepers given the lack of a national governing body overseeing the events The lone career defeat suffered by Hunter came in an April 2017 unanimous decision to Oleksandr Usyk went on to fully unify the 200lbs division and did the same at heavyweight in his first of two wins over Tyson Fury last May Usyk remains the recognized lineal and unified WBA super The 38-year-old southpaw is unaffected by the abovementioned WBA resolution Approval was already granted for Wardley-Miller to come with the resurrected interim title at stake which follows his two-fight set with Frazer Clarke The two fought to a draw in their terrific 12-round affair last March 31 at London’s O2 Wardley obliterated Clarke in less than a round last October in Riyadh is aiming to rebound from a two-fight winless streak was stopped in the 10th round of a December 2023 clash with Daniel Dubois who has since claimed the IBF heavyweight title Miller’s most recent start produced a spirited effort albeit in a 12-round draw with former unified heavyweight titlist Andy Ruiz last August 3 in Los Angeles Jake Donovan is an award-winning journalist who served as a senior writer for BoxingScene from 2007-2024, and news editor for the final nine years of his first tour. He was also the lead writer for The Ring before his decision to return home. Follow Jake on X and Instagram. This website may contain adult language. TM & © 2025 BoxingScene.All Rights Reserved. This website may contain adult language TM & © 2025 BoxingScene.All Rights Reserved Oleksandr Usyk is off the hook when it comes to facing a WBA mandatory challenger but secondary titlist Kubrat Pulev has been tapped to face Fabio Wardley it really had been too long since the WBA did a WBA thing President Gilberto Mendoza announced today that he’d given “super” champion Oleksandr Usyk 24 months to fulfill his mandatory obligations “with the intention of allowing the fighter to face the most relevant opponents in the division.” It’s unclear to me why he’s doing this as I’ve never known them to actually stick to their regulations on that front; usually they just stay quiet until the goat entrails that guide most of their decision-making tell them it’s time As Usyk has publicly stated his desire to retire within two fights this basically lets him off the hook for good Mendoza and co. will instead lean on their “world” title, one of the few left standing after they got off their butts and consolidated most of the rest, to keep things moving. Due to very funny legal shenanigans, that title belonged to Mahmoud Charr until 43-year-old Kubrat Pulev (32-3 and now the WBA has ordered Pulev to defend against Fabio Wardley (18-0-1 Wardley is 13 years Pulev’s junior and coming off a monstrous knockout of Frazer Clarke; he really should demolish Pulev whose best wins in the last five years came over Charr and Jerry Forrest the victor must then fight Michael Hunter (24-1-2 If you’re wondering what Hunter’s done to earn this so am I; two of his last four wins came over opponents with <=.500 records and he lost wide to Artem Suslenkov on an IBA show though that was technically an amateur bout and thus doesn’t appear on “The Bounty’s” record Kubrat Pulev versus Jarrell Miller is in the offing and could happen in Saudi Arabia early next year. Pulev emerged victorious, thereafter attaining the WBA “regular” heavyweight title earlier in December. He outsmarted Mahmoud Charr over 12 rounds to regain the championship. Kubrat Venkov Pulev is a Bulgarian professional boxer. He has held the World Boxing Association heavyweight title since December 2024. At regional level, he has held multiple heavyweight championships, including the European title twice between 2012 and 2016. The Saudi paymaster His Excellency Turki Alalshikh is apparently keen on staging Pulev-Miller fight. He is interested in a match with Jarrell Miller. Though, if the people as the WBA do not consent the Bulgarian “Cobra” to have this, a voluntary defence, he will be told to box Michael Hunter next. Jarrell Miller is an American professional boxer and former kickboxer who competes in the heavyweight division. He first came to prominence in 2007 when he competed for the New Jersey Tigers in the World Combat League and made it to the finals of the New York Golden Gloves tournament that same year. Miller, a big, strong guy with a good engine, might be too physically imposing as well as too energetic for Pulev, who really does appear to have been around forever. Besides, Pulev appeared pretty good against Charr, his punch output quite remarkable compared to his age. The WBA have ordered Pulev, their “regular” heavyweight champion, to defend his title against the 30-year-old Wardley, and to that end will order purse bids for a fight between them. Wardley is to vacate his British title – it will be contested by David Adeleye and Jeamie Tshikeva on April 5 – and, according to his manager Michael Ofo, Wardley’s promoter Frank Warren is prepared to “go in heavy” to bring Bulgaria’s Pulev, 43, to the UK. The heavy-handed Wardley has made little secret of his desire to fight at Portman Road, the home of his favourite football team Ipswich Town, and Ofo told BoxingScene: “It’s going to go to purse bids, against Pulev, so we’re just waiting to see what happens. It’s an exciting time for Fabio. He’s away training; he’s excited. “We’re pretty confident that Frank will win. Frank backs Fabio Wardley to the nines, and he sees his potential – hence Fabio signed with Queensberry [Promotions]. We expect Frank and Queensberry to go in heavy and back their guy.  “All doors are open – we’re still open to negotiations. It’d be a little silly of me to say when and where, but he’s keen to get out as soon as possible, so we’re hoping that’ll be the summer. “He will do whatever it takes to win that title [including travel to Bulgaria]. But I’m pretty confident that it’ll be on British shores.” Ipswich’s final home fixture of the Premier League season falls on May 25, against West Ham United. The only likely dates for a fight to be staged there therefore exist between June and mid-August. “They’ve got some windows of opportunity that we would have to explore and look at,” Ofo continued. “Whether it’s winning the title or going back there to defend once he wins the title, it’ll definitely happen. “The ideal for Fabio would be to be in Ipswich. He’s always said he wants to fight there – it would be a dream, Portman Road. That would be the dream come true for him.” The 30 year old recorded his biggest victory in October 2024, when stopping the previously undefeated Frazer Clarke inside a round, and under the guidance of Frank Warren – Queensberry Promotions have become the most influential promoters in the heavyweight division – he is seeking to accelerate his career. While he stressed that his options remain open, and that he is yet to make a decision to vacate his title after two successful defences – his victory over Clarke also represented the first defence of his Commonwealth title – he considers the 43-year-old Pulev a marketable opponent potentially even capable of delivering the occasion he “dreams” of at Portman Road Stadium, the home of his favourite soccer team, Ipswich Town. In December, Bulgaria’s Pulev – a former opponent of Anthony Joshua and Wladimir Klitschko – defeated Mahmoud Charr in a contest for the lightly regarded WBA “regular” heavyweight title, and Wardley told BoxingScene: “There’s no really escaping a big name or a big fight for me now. I can’t be at that position and just take anyone on the side that no one’s really heard of. I don’t want to, either.  “I want to be in big fights. I would hate for someone to look at my name versus someone and be like, ‘Oh, that’s boring; that’s not worth it’.  “I don’t want to be that kind of fighter; that kind of person. I always want to be in big, entertaining fights. So any one of those guys in the top 10 is going to deliver that.  “The most obvious one is the [Kubrat] Pulev fight, purely because I’m number one [in the WBA rankings]; he’s the regular champ. So that seems like an obvious one to make. But there’s other guys’ names in there as well who can still kick me on; boost me up; and get me in the right place, because it’s not just about ranking as well.  “It’s about what the fans want to see and the type of performance you’re putting in. So yeah, there’s a variety of options there. “If it was that fight, then yeah, that does add that extra bit to it – that extra layer of interest and intrigue, because it’s, in technical terms, a world title. So yeah, look, that might be the ideal one out of the lot, but either way, I just want to be in them big fights.  “I want it to be my name at the top of the bill, and everyone will be like, ‘Oh okay, that’s going to be a mad fight; everyone’s really excited to see it’. So whether it’s him; someone else; who knows?” Wardley was a promotional free agent before the first of his two fights with Clarke – their entertaining and bloody draw in London in March 2024. He has since signed terms with Warren, which, complementing the statement he made in his rematch with Clarke, has transformed his career. “I’m in a very good position,” he said. “So we’re just taking our time a little bit – making sure we’re picking the right move for me. The right opportunity; the right fight; the right opponent. Things are coming together, but nothing’s done; nothing’s set. So we’re just playing around with a few things. “Depending on how things shape up for me, it’s more than likely I’m going to relinquish that belt and let it go. I’m pretty much done with British level now.  “I’ve had some great fights there. It’s been a real honour to fight for the British belt as many times as I have, but I think I’ve had my moment with that. And it’s always good to just pass it on and let whoever else is going for it.  “I remember when it was me and other people were holding on to it, and I was like, ‘Can you let go so I can have a go for it, please?’ So, yeah – it’s probably my time is done with that belt and at the British level. So we are really looking to keep on in the massive fights.  “I’m just waiting to see how things go before we make any sure-set decisions.” On the subject of fighting in his hometown of Ipswich, he added: “Just how much of a dream would that be? I think I might have started that rumour myself, to be honest. It’s something I’ve been speaking about for a long time.  “I’ve wanted to do a massive fight in Ipswich because I feel like, one, I owe it to my fans who have been following me up and down the country all over and travelled to Riyadh [in Saudi Arabia] and this, that and everywhere else, to bring one home for them and say, ‘Look, it’s five minutes away – it’s down the road now, come and see’. It’s a discussion we’re having and hopefully it can come off and we can put it together.  “Now we move into the realm of what opponent and then what do they want? Are they ready now? Are they ready in six months; six weeks; whatever? So there’s factors going into it that are out of my control. I can’t tell a fighter when he’s ready to fight me. So we’ll see.  “We’ll see who it is; see how it falls. But yeah, the sooner the better, really.  “There’s a couple of names we’ve been throwing around. I look through – because I’m number one in the WBA now – the rankings and look who they are. And anyone really in them top 10, I’m happy to go for.”  while granting unified champion Oleksandr Usyk a 24-month period in which to fulfill his mandatory obligations The Pulev-Wardley order came down Wednesday setting the mandatory defense period between March 5 and April 4 WBA President Gilberto Mendoza tells BoxingScene that means that both parties will have 30 days to negotiate the fight The winner of Pulev-Wardley – or Pulev in the event of a draw – must then face No 3 contender Michael Hunter within 120 days defeating Mahmoud Charr to win the sanctioning body’s “regular” belt following up a draw against domestic rival Frazer Clarke by scoring a first-round TKO in their October rematch The WBA resolution acknowledges that its “super” champion who solidified his position as the heavyweight champ with another win over Tyson Fury last fulfilled his mandatory obligations in August 2023 when he defeated Daniel Dubois the WBA stipulates that its belt holders must defend their titles every nine months against a mandatory challenger “The intention is to allow the fighter to pursue bouts against the most relevant opponents in the division,” reads the resolution “Usyk has been involved in highly significant fights for boxing based on the internal regulations and the current global boxing landscape has focused on fostering high-quality fights through activity and competition This is why his mandatory defense period has been extended allowing him the flexibility to seek the best possible matchups.” Kubrat Pulev won a unanimous decision over Mahmoud Charr on Saturday picking up Charr’s WBA’s “regular” heavyweight title and putting himself in position to challenge the winner of the upcoming rematch between Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury Pulev triumphed in front of his hometown crowd in Sofia The scores were 117-111 (twice) and 116-112 has fought for major heavyweight titles twice before He was taken out by Wladimir Klitschko in five rounds in 2014 and stopped in nine rounds by Anthony Joshua in 2020 Pulev then suffered another setback in 2022 when he lost a split decision in his rematch with Derek Chisora.This victory over Charr makes it three straight victories for Pulev.  The winner of Usyk-Fury II will hold the primary WBA title, as well as the WBC and WBO belts. The WBA has long been derided for its proliferation of “regular” and interim titles but has decreased its number of secondary belts in recent years. Yet this “regular” heavyweight title has persisted for years. That would change if the WBA orders a fight between Pulev and the winner of Usyk-Fury II — or if the winner of Usyk-Fury II vacates their WBA title rather than face Pulev, in which case Pulev would become the primary titleholder.The WBA could also choose another route: ordering Pulev to face its number one contender, Martin Bakole. As for Charr, the 40-year-old fell to 34-5 (20 KOs). This loss ended a six-fight winning streak dating back to 2016. When heavyweights Mahmoud Charr and Kubrat Pulev finally meet in Sofia they will bring to the ring a combined 72 professional fights and almost as many years’ worth of inactivity Similarly, Pulev, 43, has hardly been active of late, though did manage to go 10 rounds against Andrzej Wawrzyk last December. He has also been mixing in better company than Charr in recent years, albeit coming up short against the likes of Derek Chisora (SD 12) and Anthony Joshua (KO 9). As for whether fighting in Bulgaria makes things any more difficult, Charr had this to say: “My friend, I am cosmopolitan. I am a world fighter. I fight everywhere. It doesn’t matter to me. I am the ‘Arab German King’. I have German blood and Arab blood. I can fit in wherever I go.” Now 40 years old, presumably Charr’s biggest fear at this point is that time runs out and that, when it does, he will then come to realise too much of it has been wasted. Which is why a win this weekend in Bulgaria is vital for him and why he must now return to some sort of relevance, ideally with a belt still around his waist. “Listen,” he said, “my name is ‘Diamond Boy’. Diamonds grow in pressure. My life has been constant pressure and this is now my time to shine. When I fight against Pulev, I will be brilliant and shine again.” Whether calling himself Diamond Boy, Arab German King, or simply Mahmoud, the title that wields the greatest power – financially speaking – is that of champion, which of course Charr knows. He also knows that now is the time to at last make hay and exploit it. They will fight on December 7 in the Arena Sofia in Bulgaria in a bout shown on DAZN. Charr is 34-4 (20 KOs), born in Syria but now fighting out of Dubai. He has not boxed in two years, and has had just three fights in seven years. His last victory was a two-round win over Nuri Seferi in Hamburg in December 2022. Pulev is 31-3 (14 KOs) and the 43-year-old challenger defeated Andrzej Wawrzyk in 2023 and Ihor Shevadzutskyi in March this year. Pulev is ranked No. 7 by the WBA.  Mahmoud Charr and Kubrat Pulev announced their World Boxing Association (WBA) heavyweight title fight officially at a press conference held on Thursday Both will step into the ring on December 7 in Sofia Charr will return to the ring after a long time of inactivity for different reasons and will try to remain as champion in a fight that looks very close and that promises a lot.  German-born fighter comes in with a six-fight win streak and hasn’t lost since 2015 He defeated Nuri Seferi in his most recent fight in 2022 and now feels ready for a new performance.  Pulev is quite a recognized name in the world arena The veteran will be at home and intends to use his experience and power to beat the champion and take the heavyweight crown.  The World Boxing Association (WBA) has officially opened online registration.. Usage of Content   Confidentiality Clause Mahmoud Charr owns the WBA “world” heavyweight title Those with DAZN subscriptions will soon get to enjoy the fifth-hottest heavyweight fight of 2013 as the network announced that they’ll carry Mahmoud Charr vs Kubrat Pulev on December 7th Pulev (31-3, 14 KO) is 43 years old and his highest-profile fight in the last four years was a questionable split decision loss to Derek Chisora in their rematch. He is the perfect WBA title challenger. With the time zone in Bulgaria, there’ll be plenty of time for DAZN to broadcast both this and Liam Paro vs Richardson Hitchins. What an electric day of boxing. Oops. Something went wrong. Please enter a valid email and try again. Cuba’s Ortiz, 34-3 (29 KOs) and currently ranked 12th by the WBA, will fight for the first time since January of this year on February 28 at Hialeah Park Racetrack in Hialeah, Florida. Luis DeCubas Snr requested that the 45-year-old Ortiz contend for a WBA belt should he prove successful. Miller, who drew with the unranked Andy Ruiz in June to take his record to 26-1-2 (22 KOs) and is positioned one place below Ortiz at No. 13, asked the rankings committee to consider elevating his position to the extent he challenges “regular” titlist Kubrat Pulev. “I’d like an opportunity to knock his mind out,” Miller politely said. Pulev last week won the much-maligned title when he outhustled Mahmoud Charr over 12 rounds. The Bulgarian veteran’s team requested permission to make a voluntary defense, which it wants to announce in the next 2-3 weeks. Lenier Pero, currently rated fourth by the WBA, was put forward for a potential eliminator, and Fabio Wardley, ranked sixth, was mentioned as a possible opponent. Elsewhere in the banner division, requests were made for Charles Martin, former IBF boss, and Justis Huni to enter the top 15. US EditionUK EditionScottish SunIrish SunSearchMy Account Boxing & MMA JournalistPublished: Invalid Date Fabio Wardley will face Jarrell Miller next Pulev was ordered to defend his lesser WBA 'regular' heavyweight belt against Wardley earlier this month However, Wardley revealed to talkSPORT.com that Pulev rejected an offer from his team, resulting in Miller getting the call to face him in a WBA interim title fight on June 7 in the avid Ipswich Town fan's homecoming fight at Portman Road he is scared of me and didn't want the fight," Wardley said during an exclusive interview with talkSPORT "In my last fight [against Frazer Clarke] "That is a little bit of credit I may give to Jarrell Miller. He said yes, and there wasn't much hesitation... "I probably don't see that fight [with Pulev] ever happening because I'm only going to get better. "So I don't expect him to turn around and change his mind unless he reads this interview and gets a bit angry." British boxing fans will remember 'Big Baby' best for his doomed fight with Anthony Joshua The brash American heavyweight was due to square off with AJ at New York's Madison Square Garden in June 2019 Miller failed multiple pre-fight drug tests Ruiz Jr then stepped in on short notice and shocked the boxing world by knocking out Joshua in the seventh round you know what he brings," Wardley continued "It's not like he's going to turn up and start dancing around the ring like Muhammad Ali "He is a big 300lbs steam roller of a man I can switch between engaging with him in a back-and-forth "It's going to be more difficult working out which version of me is going to show up as opposed to be trying to figure out which Jarrell Miller is going to show up and I don't think his style has changed at all.. and doing it in front of 30,000 fans at Portman Road is going to be something special the town have been crying out for this for a long time in my career "And that is such a special feeling to know that my town and my club are right behind me but I always wanted to make sure I was doing it properly Miller doesn't just bring the heat inside the ring he's also a loose cannon outside of it Tempers flared when he shoved Joshua at their launch press conference in New York while he has never shied away from controversy Asked how he will deal with Miller's erratic nature I've had all the aggressive back and forth It's something I am very much comfortable doing Follow us on social media for big breaking boxing news exclusive interviews and the best bits from our talkBOXING YouTube show The World Boxing Association (WBA) has issued a resolution regarding the current situation in the heavyweight division determining the special status of Super Champion Oleksandr Usyk and extending his mandatory defense period while also defining the next steps for Champion Kubrat Pulev The committee analyzed the current state of the division the individual situation of the Ukrainian champion and granted a 24-month period to fulfill his mandatory defense with the intention of allowing the fighter to face the most relevant opponents in the division Pulev is required to fulfill his mandatory bout against Fabio Wardley the committee analyzed the current state of the division and granted him a 24-month period to fulfill his mandatory defense The intention is to allow the fighter to pursue bouts against the most relevant opponents in the division when he defeated Anthony Joshua to win the WBA heavyweight crown in September of that year he fulfilled his mandatory obligation under the WBA by defeating Daniel Dubois he faced Tyson Fury for the undisputed title he fought Fury again in a rematch and secured another victory Defeating the former lineal champion twice within a year is clear evidence of his outstanding performance Usyk has been involved in highly significant fights for boxing allowing him the flexibility to seek the best possible matchups he must defend his title against Fabio Wardley who is currently the number one ranked contender The mandatory defense period will begin on March 5 Wardley—or Pulev in the case of a draw—must then face Michael Hunter in a mandatory defense within 120 days of that bout Any interested party may request a reconsideration of this resolution under WBA Rule F.5 Any issues that may arise along the way will be resolved according to the internal regulations and this resolution supersedes any previous resolutions President Rumen Radev met with boxer Kubrat Pulev, days after Pulev made history as the first Bulgarian to win a world title in professional heavyweight boxing Radev said that significant victories of Bulgarian athletes are of great importance for Bulgarians' self-confidence as a people for the unification of the nation and for the motivation of young people quoted the presidential press service on Friday Pulev claimed the World Boxing Association (WBA) heavyweight regular title after defeating Germany's Mahmoud Charr The meeting with the President was attended by the champion's brother their trainer Mihail Takov and boxing manager Ivaylo Gotsev The WBA regular title won by Pulev is a symbol of the indomitable Bulgarian spirit and will to win This world title also has enormous social value because it inspires and involves Bulgarian children in sports stimulates young people to lead a healthy lifestyle and teaches that the path to success requires effort Nations that want to guarantee their future must invest in their young people and in mass sports from a very early age The President and his guests agreed that high sportsmanship and mass sports should be a national priority and require systematic support from the institutions Kubrat and Tervel Pulev presented the head of State with boxing gloves with wishes for success in his future fights Contacts +359 2 9262 210 This website uses cookies. By accepting cookies you can enjoy a better experience while browsing pages. Shevadzutskyi is a late replacement for Mahmoud Charr The Ukrainian has already earned a victory in 2024 defeating Edonis Berisha via a fourth-round stoppage last month when he claimed a unanimous decision win over Andrzej Wawrzyk Here's everything you need to know ahead of Pulev vs The card will stream live on DAZN in over 200 countries across the globe (excluding Bulgaria).   You can sign up for a subscription here DAZN has apps available for all of the following platforms: Apple TV Here is a full list of the devices where DAZN is available in addition to web browsers on DAZN.com (if you are in Argentina Chile and Colombia you must download the DAZN app from the Apple App Store or Android Google Play store and then sign up from there The event takes place at the Arena Armeec in Sofia Live on DAZN PPV : Watch Devin Haney vs. Ryan Garcia on April 20 Anthony Joshua returned to ruthless form by dispatching Kubrat Pulev in nine rounds in London on Saturday to set up the prospect of facing Tyson Fury in 2021 IBF and WBO world heavyweight champion retained his titles by turning on the power switch to drop Pulev twice in the ninth round It was Joshua's first knockout win since his previous performance on home soil Pulev crumbled to the canvas under a barrage of right uppercuts and was then finished by a straight right hand the retired former pound-for-pound boxing No had made the trip from the United States to be among 1,000 present at the SSE Arena and was the first to congratulate Joshua at ringside Since halting Alexander Povetkin two years ago the English boxer lost his titles via a shock knockout to American Andy Ruiz Jr before regaining them on points a year ago This was a much more explosive performance from Joshua than the Ruiz rematch as Joshua floored tough Pulev twice in Round 3 and twice in Round 9 in front of the first crowd at a professional boxing event in the U.K Anthony Joshua unleashed a barrage of right uppercuts on Kubrat Pulev before finishing him with a straight right hand. Andrew Couldridge/Getty ImagesA second defense in his second reign as world heavyweight clears the way for Joshua to fight either rival world heavyweight champion Fury 1 heavyweight by ESPN after stopping Deontay Wilder for the WBC title in February but because of mandatory defense obligations former undisputed world cruiserweight champion Usyk might be the first person in the opposing corner to Joshua in 2021 "It's not about the opponent -- it's about who has got the belt Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn said he wants Fury to be Joshua's next opponent in 2021 including legal action Wilder has brought to enforce a third fight with Fury "Let's make the Tyson Fury fight straightaway; it's the biggest fight in boxing," Hearn said It's about legacy and we will get it done." Fury does not have a fight booked at this time and Top Rank promoter Bob Arum tweeted his intentions to make this fight after Joshua's win "It looks like the stage is set for the biggest Heavyweight championship fight since Ali-Frazier in 1971, when @Tyson_Fury meets @anthonyfjoshua for the undisputed crown," Arum wrote "We at Top Rank will start on Monday working to put that fight together." Fury also had a message for Joshua on social media, which will only increase speculation the fight will be made for Joshua's next fight. Joshua (24-1, 22 KOs), 31, told ESPN he has worked on his stamina after his clash with Pulev was delayed from taking place at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, in north London, in June because of the coronavirus pandemic. But so, too, had Pulev (28-2, 14 KOs), 39, judging by how he looked. The Bulgarian weighed slightly less than Joshua's 240 pounds, lighter than when he challenged Wladimir Klitschko for the same world title belts six years ago, and that conditioning enable Pulev to get up from two knockdowns in the third round. After a heated weigh-in, both started cagey behind their jab, and it was difficult to decide who won the opener. But Joshua exploded into action in the third round and dropped Pulev twice. The champion opened his attack with a right to the temple and Pulev never recovered, turning his back before being given a count. Pulev was sent tumbling back again for another count later in the third after taking a right uppercut. After surviving a third-round crisis, Pulev showed great resilience again in the fifth after taking a straight right hand and responding with his own shots. But Joshua dominated this fight, even if he was less aggressive and explosive than he was in the third round until the ninth-round finish. Joshua leaned on his jab and movement, staying out of danger while setting up openings for combinations. The end was savage. "Boxing is about less talk and more action, and I hope everyone was satisfied," Joshua said. "For me, I stuck to what I know best where I'm going to put shots." Joshua finished Pulev with a classic one-two in the ninth round, after dropping Pulev earlier in the round with a series of right uppercuts. It was a great finish, which surely restores some confidence in Joshua after the Ruiz defeat in June 2019. Scores were 116-114 and 116-112 for Chisora with another verdict of 116-112 going the way of the Bulgarian The closeness of the scores reflects just how tight the battle was Chisora was searching for revenge after losing to Pulev in 2016 He started the fight well by setting a ferocious pace and landing several heavy body shots The industry displayed by Chisora soon became absent as Pulev forced his way into the fight and he was able to turn things in his favour as the fight wore on Both men put it all on the line in the final stages and there was an eery anticipation as the scores were read out as the home crowd was desperate for their man to get his hand raised and his incredible story still has a few chapters left as he looks to secure another big fight with one of the heavyweight division's leading names and this is usually where some will tell you that Pulev is dangerous that if Joshua isn’t on his game the once-beaten unified champ could absorb his second upset loss in as many years a knockout loss to Wladimir Klitschko in 2014 Since then Pulev has rattled off eight wins in a row including a decision over Dereck Chisora and a knockout of ex-title challenger Samuel Peter In an era of undeserving mandatory challengers Pulev has legitimately earned his opportunity But, if we’re being honest, the chances of Pulev pulling off an upset are minimal. Despite Bob Arum’s bluster—Arum, Pulev’s promoter, has been shouting for months that Pulev (28-1) would derail a planned title unification fight between Joshua and Tyson Fury which is akin to resolving a leg cramp by cutting off the leg—few inside Pulev’s inner circle are optimistic about his chances despite the challenges of the pandemic that will limit the crowd to 1,000 people inside London’s SSE Arena It has been 18 months since Joshua’s shocking knockout loss to Andy Ruiz in New York 12 since Joshua (23-1) avenged that defeat on a rainy night in Saudi Arabia but after watching Joshua box his way to a decision it raised new questions: Had Ruiz changed Joshua Would one of boxing’s most ferocious finishers become content with winning lopsided decisions After Lennox Lewis lost to Oliver McCall in 1994 who drilled into him the art of fighting off the jab Steward did the same thing with Wladimir Klitschko evolving Klitschko from the reckless power puncher that was stopped twice in the early 2000’s into one of the most successful heavyweights of his era who has promoted Joshua since he turned pro in 2012 was ringside in Saudi Arabia for the Ruiz fight He recalls watching Joshua land big punches on Ruiz and hearing the voice of his longtime trainer imploring Joshua not to stand and trade with Ruiz after “If I knew he didn’t really want to explode and knock Andy Ruiz out I might answer differently,” Hearn told SI “It was very difficult for him to stay on the leash in Saudi the Ruiz loss gave Joshua an opportunity to address long festering issues “AJ spent long periods of his career not knowing what he was doing,” says Hearn It’s just difficult to change when you are knocking people out The Ruiz fight was kind of a blessing in that respect I think you will see a more refined fighter But AJ loves to entertain and he loves to knock people out You can’t take away what he has inside him No way he will he hurt Pulev and let him see his way out of the round.” Joshua reclined on a couch in an empty room in his training facility is the fighter under scrutiny after Wilder was stopped by Fury last February “He didn’t have it as tough as I did,” says Joshua “I had fighters telling me I should not have taken the immediate rematch I had fighters telling me I should retire if I lost again.” He didn’t and in an interview with SI Joshua vows that Ruiz won’t fundamentally change him “Physically he hasn't changed me,” says Joshua I feel technically-wise he's improved me He changed my mental focus as well about what this really means Because I was that guy that just come into the boxing gym So I didn't even really embrace what I was doing.” “And then I get to see Andy Ruiz living life over in America and Mexico that's what it means to be champion.’ What [Ruiz] has done he made me realize there's two different things There's what we call defining performances So I feel like when I boxed Andy Ruiz in Saudi I had to go out there and I had to put on a spectacular performance the defining performance does include power punches and earning his respect I definitely still possess that killer instinct and that gladiator mindset Hearn believes the heavyweight monster remains within Joshua—he’s just not sure he needs to come out The financial components of a mouthwatering heavyweight unification fight have been agreed upon a 50-50 split of revenue that should zoom well past $100 million and Joshua is right back to where he was against Ruiz “The value of your next fight is ultimately determined by your last performance But that fight remains massive even if it is a stinking fight.” much of the pre-fight talk was about Wilder specifically the failed negotiations that would have resulted in a long awaited fight “you could live rent free in my head.” He reflexively defended himself against accusations that he was ducking Wilder “I’ve learned to just focus on myself,” says Joshua And that's why I feel more settled within myself now.” and in the build-up Joshua is saying all the right things how he expects Pulev to attempt to bully him in the ring About if winning is all that matters to him Or if how he wins still matters a little bit more “Let me just get back on the gravy train and get back to my old ways of showcasing what I can do,” says Joshua Hopefully I would have improved and become smarter ‘I want to hit this guy and I want to hurt him.’ That's what my game plan is.” The pair fought back in 2016 for the EBU heavyweight title and the Bulgarian veteran took the win back then so it is conceivable that while neither man will rule out a title shot in the future this could be the loser's last appearance in competitive boxing Derek Chisora weighted in at 258.2lbs while Kubrat Pulev came in at 250lbs Odds sourced via Betfred The main card is set to get underway at 7 p.m with the main event ringwalks scheduled for 10 p.m These timings could change due to the length of the undercard fights The card will stream live on DAZN in over 200 countries across the globe. You can sign up for a subscription here you must download the DAZN app from the Apple App Store or Android Google Play store and then sign up from there DAZN is available on web browsers at DAZN.com (except Argentina and Colombia) and also has apps available for all of the following TV and streaming devices: The fight will take place at the O2 Arena in London The fight will now take place in September with Pulev facing Ihor Shevadzutskyi next weekend with Pulev instead facing Ihor Shevadzutskyi next week after turning down Tom Schwarz 20 KO) was slated to make just his fourth appearance since stopping Alexander Ustinov in 2017 Legal battles with Don King and the WBA put his career on ice for more than half a decade leaving him to torch hapless opponents like Christopher Lovejoy and Nuri Seferi it also would have been his first fight outside of Germany since getting blown away by then-unknown cruiserweight Mairis Briedis in Grozny You know, I make a huge stink about boxing not loving me back but how can I interpret this as anything but a romantic gesture the Charr Saga feels like my one unimpeachable font of joy though I do wish we could have gotten that Jarrell Miller fight Anthony Joshua tipped the scales at 240.8 pounds on Friday ahead of Saturday's world heavyweight titles defence against Kubrat Pulev in London was five pounds lighter than he was for his last United Kingdom performance in September 2018 but left the weigh-in with Pulev shouting at him from the stage: "Tomorrow I will show you." "He came talking a lot of rubbish," Joshua said "Many years I have been watching boxing and they talk a lot of rubbish and then they get smacked up we punch heavy and the first man to land will be the last man standing." Joshua (23-1, 21 KOs), 31, won back the belts from Andy Ruiz on points a year ago and his clash with Pulev was delayed from taking place at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in June due to the coronavirus pandemic which was lighter than when he fought Wladimir Klitschko in his previous world title attempt for the same belts six years ago Pulev weighed 247lbs ahead of facing Klitschko Joshua weighed 237lbs for the Ruiz rematch a year ago and has told ESPN he has concentrated on improving his fitness ahead of facing Pulev Joshua will be making a second defence of the titles in his second reign as champion in front of a restricted crowd of 1,000 against Pulev with talk of him possibly facing rival world champion Tyson Fury in 2021 Other weights for the major fights on the bill at The SSE Arena included: Martin Bakokle (251 lbs) vs Sergey Kuzmin (258 lbs) heavyweight; Hughie Fury (247 lbs) vs Mariusz Wach (274 lbs) heavyweight; Lawrence Okolie (198 lbs) vs Nikodem Jezewski (199 lbs) Mahmoud Charr currently holds the WBA’s secondary “world” heavyweight title Is this fight in any way meaningful to the division Only in the sense that the winner will either fight for the real belt once the newly crowned undisputed champ vacates or be directly upgraded like Gervonta Davis was Both are well past their best and pose no threat to the elite though Pulev’s still skilled enough at 42 to beat bottom-feeders More than a year removed from his last fight Anthony Joshua is finally ready to get back in the ring Pulev has not officially battled an opponent since scoring a unanimous decision win over Rydell Booker on Nov but he is on an eight-fight winning streak coming into the matchup against Joshua While it's not the Joshua-Tyson Fury unification fight many boxing fans would like to see both Joshua and Pulev should be receiving nice paydays after they are done trading shots Here's a look at how much Joshua and Pulev could earn as well as the net worth of each fighter It's Fight Season: Join DAZN to watch Joshua, GGG and Canelo fights There are no official purses for the fight, but Joshua is expected to earn around £10 million (more than $13 million), according to The Telegraph Pulev should be in the neighborhood of £3 million (nearly $4 million) Back in April, Pulev said he would donate half of his purse to help medical workers amid the COVID-19 pandemic nurses and hospitals the necessary equipment to deal with this devilish virus," Pulev said Joshua has a net worth of $80 million, according to CelebrityNetWorth.com. He lands at No. 19 on Forbes' list of the world's highest-paid athletes just behind Giannis Antetokounmpo and ahead of Deontay Wilder Forbes describes the 31-year-old as a "marketing juggernaut" with more than a dozen sponsors Pulev has a net worth of $8 million, according to CelebrityNetWorth.com The Bulgarian boxer can't currently draw an audience like other top heavyweights but he could position himself to land bigger checks in the future if he can pull off the upset "[Joshua is] strong. He has power, and that power is very dangerous," Pulev told The Telegraph "But I am technically better and I think this is very important in this fight it's only important what I do in the ring and how I prepare." Jordan Greer has been with The Sporting News since 2015 He previously worked for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette He is a graduate of Westminster College and Syracuse University ShareSaveBusinessSportsMoneyDerek Chisora Vs. Kubrat Pulev: Odds, Records, PredictionByJosh Katzowitz Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights 04:32pm EDTShareSaveThis article is more than 2 years old.LONDON ENGLAND - OCTOBER 26: Derek Chisora celebrates victory over David Price during their .. More heavyweight fight at The O2 Arena on October 26 In the grand scheme of the heavyweight division Kubrat Pulev fight on Saturday night shouldn’t have a huge impact and both have consistently been beaten by the elite of the division But if there’s one thing going for this heavyweight clash it’s that it should be awfully fun to watch Here’s everything you need to know about Derek Chisora vs their records and a prediction on who will win Pulev outboxed Chisora and prevailed by split decision (though Pulev deserved it unanimously) Chisora will look to end the fight before it gets to the final round he wants to make it fun for those who are watching I get these younger guys into the gym to spar me I see in their eyes the fear they have by the time they get to rounds 3 or 4 I’m still hungry and I still want to fight I still want to cause damage to people and I still want to entertain and I sell a product to people who want to have that product Pulev has stepped into the ring only seven times Whether Chisora’s activity will help him remains to be seen That kind of experience against the elite won’t hurt “Every round is going to be difficult for Derek Chisora,” Pulev said Now is a different situation because I see him It means he’s maybe better and I must be careful about that For me it’s very important and I think for him it’s also very important That’s why we give everything and that’s why I’m sure he will give everything I hope the judges and the referee are honest He says this is war but for me this is not war—I don’t hate him.” viewers can watch on DAZN beginning at 2 p.m GERMANY - MAY 07: Kubrat Pulev of Bulgaria throws a punch at Dereck Chisora of Great .. More Britain during Heavyweight European Championship between Kubrat Pulev and Dereck Chisora at Barclaycard Arena on May 7 (Photo by Oliver Hardt/Bongarts/Getty Images) Pulev is a solid favorite at -334 but I actually would have expected him to be in the -400 range maybe there’s a tiny bit value in his money line but I wouldn’t bother betting his money line unless he was around +350 There’s more value in picking Pulev to win by decision at +137 and even more by unanimous decision at +200 I’d probably go with the latter or just wager on the fight to go the distance at -125 you can feel free to stay away from this contest But he does hold victories over Carlos Takam and an undefeated Malik Scott and he’s lost the two biggest fights of his career to Joshua and Wladimir Klitschko But he has solid wins against Samuel Peter I can see this being a gritty brawl with both fighters landing plenty of clean punches and even though he’s older than his opponent