Three weeks away from his title fight with Joshua. Nobody is really talking about this at all. Kubrat Pulev is 39 years old. He'll be 40 in May. If he wins, I believe he'll be the oldest man to win his first heavyweight title (guys like Foreman, Vitali, Holyfield had previously won titles much earlier). He's got a lot of familiar names on his record - Sam Peter, Dominick Guinn, Maurice Harris, Paolo Vidoz - that would certainly stand out if it was 2000 or 2005, but not so much at the start of 2021. He fought in the World Championships as an amateur way back in 2001, losing to Sultan Ibragimov (who has been retired since losing to Wlad 12 years ago). I'm sure quite a few posters here weren't even alive in 2001. In the last decade, really his only significant win of note was a 12-round decision over Dereck Chisora. That said, he doesn't fight very often - 28 wins in 11 years. But, at this point, maybe that is a benefit. He's certainly fit. He has no trouble fighting 12 rounds. Power isn't his calling card. He's a boxer. He's never really taken a bad beating (the Wlad loss was relatively quick). But he bled like a stuck pig last year against Bogdan Dinu. If he wins against Joshua, that's a pretty long road to your first heavyweight title. But what are YOUR odds this 39-year-old boxer actually wins against Joshua and becomes the IBF, WBA and WBO heavyweight champion? Would it be a bigger shocker than Andy Ruiz beating Joshua? Bigger than Braddock over Baer? Bigger than Holyfield-Tyson? There certainly weren't any 39-year-olds involved in those. And there won't be a crowd cheering him on to score an upset like there were on those famous nights. Will that matter at all? Seems like he's been spinning his wheels waiting for this opportunity for a long time. Does Pulev "see something" in Joshua? Or will Kubrat look at the empty arena, ask if the check cleared and then look for a soft spot on the floor like a lot of boxers in these empty "bubbles" do during Covid? What will happen on Dec. 12? Will Pulev win three belts? Will he do one of those "gloves over the face" fall downs we've come to see more and more of recently? Will it be a tactical fight? A war? Will Joshua and Pulev dance around each other all night? Go ahead and try to sell it, since Eddie Hearn isn't. What are we looking at here?
Pulev has no hope, none whatsoever. This is his last fight. He'll make some retirement money by going down with a highlight reel KO. That KO will make AJ look good, make it look like AJ is back to where he was pre-Ruiz. That should ideally set up the road for a Fury fight, at least that's what Hearn must be thinking.
Pulev is good. Very experienced as an amateur, fought more or less most of the top dogs back in the day. Pulev has the best jab in the heavyweight division and one of the best in sport (certainly the most underrated jabber right now). Lack of diversity will be Pulev's biggest problem if the fight against Joshua finally happens. Yes Pulev has a great jab and etc... but his lack of inside fighting, punching power and physical strength will cost him the AJ fight.
Pulev isnt bad but I do think AJ is gonna knock him out. He has that awkward hands out style and AJ has good accuracy and punch placement and good enough speed. Sorta like Vlad did but honestly aj has more power than Vlad. Pulev best shot to win is to honestly make it ugly with pot shots and lots of holding bc he doesn't have a great inside game which would be a nightmare to watch and bad for the division
AJ has more power than Wlad? Nah mate. Wlad had nukes for a straight right and left hook along with a fantastic stiff jab.
If the Pulev that fought Wlad who's willing to take one to land one, who's sits down on all of his shots, and more than willing to go down a few times and risk getting KTFO in the process, shows up. He has a legit chance. Because I geuinely don't think AJ could stand up to some of the bombs Pulev landed on Wlad. Pulev has underrated power, and while safety first, when he needs to unfurl it, like in the Dinu fight, he can. Sure AJ TKO'd Wlad, but Wlad kept getting back up, time after time, whereas AJ barely got up from the shot Wlad landed on him and had Wlad landed something significant in the ensuing moments, he'd have KO'd AJ cold. So my point is, if AJ landed the shots on Wlad on himself, he'd have certainly KO'd himself. If that makes sense. Basically what I'm saying, AJ is chinnier than Wlad.
Dont remember pulev landing bombs on Klitschko.. But i do remember him make Klitschko do a funny dance with a jab lmao.. I don't think AJ is chinny I think he's temple-y lol but even then I don't think AJ has a poor chin. Ruiz caught him in the right spot out of nowhere totally unexpected and unseen and that's what ****ed him. He managed to survive a nasty left hook from Whyte, several right hands From a Klitschko and hooks from Povetkin.. Don't think he has poor chin
Go back and rewatch it, I've seen it about 4 times, he didn't land a hell of a lot, but when he did, they were solid heavy shots. Pulev was going all out and made a hell of a fight of it. Also, considering how flush many of the shots that Wlad landed on him, his chin is far better than he's given credit for..
Joshua looked pretty petrified in the return against Ruiz. Then again, Pulev's fight with Rydell Booker "not impressive." (LOL)
I've given my opinion on this fight a number of times: Pulev has the ability and skills to pull off the upset, but I don't think he has the heart and ambition. He's simply lost his drive. Pulev just wants to get his paycheck and go home.
would be a huge upset if pulev beats joshua. Just dont see it. Pulev is a tough guy with good fundamentals but he cant adjust. How klitschko had a field day with his left hook pn pulev was embarassing. Joshua knows that weakness and will make it count.
Okay I believe ya.. But remember Pulev is older now so who knows whatll happen..i just hope AJ decimates him in brutal fashion just because I prefer AJs style and wouldn't want a 39 yo pulev against fury. If AJ does it in brutal fashion the hype for Fury would gain some traction too
Mentally pulev is as strong as it gets, but he just cant eat that type of power of klitschko and joshua have and expect to come out on top that way. josh learned his lesson with ruiz but i do think he will stand and fight. He just has to with pulev cause pulev can outbox him if hes gunshy IMO