This is maybe the greatest high-level match available to be made today between undefeated heavyweights of substance. You've got the Ukrainian's overall superior offensive arsenal against the Bulgarian's excellent defense and a fast jab that's up there for consideration as the division's best. That said, Glazkov's defense and jab are nothing to sneeze at - and neither is Pulev's ability to put attacks together. They're simply areas of specialty in which one excels a bit more. Both have tremendous potential, especially in the post-K2 era to come. Both possess a high degree of technical skill, and respectable above average power. Both manage to be patient without being lazy, and intelligent in the ring. As amateurs, Pulev bested Glazkov at least twice in 2006 in actual competition - once at the Chemistry Cup in Germany and then by a whopping margin almost tripling Glazkov's points total at the Euro championships in Bulgaria. Pulev has a third official "W" over Glazkov in that same year coming by way of walkover (meaning they didn't meet in the ring) when Glazkov withdrew from the Strandzha Cup tourney with injury. Pulev's best This content is protected & This content is protected victories: This content is protected Losses to Roberto Cammarelle (x3), Odlanier Solis, Sultan Ibragimov, Islam Timurziev, Oscar Rivas This content is protected No losses as a pro. ********************* Glazkov's best This content is protected & This content is protected victories: This content is protected This content is protected This content is protected Losses to Roberto Cammarelle, Odlanier Solis, Kubrat Pulev (x2 or more), and both Pulev and Zhilei by walkover AKA forfeiture. This content is protected No losses as a pro. ********************* This content is protected Tale of the Tape Kubrat "The Cobra" Pulev Age: 31 Height: 6' 4.5" Reach: ~78" ? Typical weight: 245-250lbs Stance: Orthodox Vyacheslav "The Czar" Glazkov Age: 28 Height: 6' 3" Reach: ~78" ? Typical weight: 220-225lbs Stance: Orthodox Does anybody know the actual wing span for either? Pulev obviously gave up several inches to Dimitrenko, who's listed at 83". Judging by side-by-side comparisons against common opponents, it seems they're roughly the same in arm size with both in maybe the high seventies. Here, check out their relative sizing up - and contrast their performances, while you're at it - against giant Russian ex-champion kickboxer (now a record padder since jumping sports) Evgeny Orlov: PULEV VS. ORLOV [yt]2bN2wzWRDyE[/yt] [yt]cwOsDNEOWO0[/yt] [yt]Q87ztApdbSM[/yt] GLAZKOV VS. ORLOV [yt]Q1sEesX3j04[/yt] To me, this is a thousand times more desirable than some of the unimaginative "dream matches" shared by most of the bleating sheep of boxing fandom. (Vitali Klitschko vs. David Haye, Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Manny Pacquiao, etc. - yawn :dead)
I really like Glazkov but Pulev has looked good beating down the big boys (Dimitrenko, Ustinov). Pulev UD until Glazkov truly gets his feet in the water.
At this point I think Pulev stops him or beats him by wide UD. Need to see more of Glazkov against top opposition.
Defense Pulev's defense is very good and he's proven it effective against larger opponents in Dimitrenko and Ustinov, i know Sasha has no heart but his athleticism, handspeed, jab, punch variety, power is all real good for a SHW. Kubrat relies almost solely on his upperbody reflexes, leaning back, along with his quick feet to control range but against Volodymyr that would be his undoing. Whether it will work against the top big prospects like Fury, Price, Dinu remains a slight question mark or against guys similar sized or smaller who are fast and/or combination punchers (Glazkov, Povetkin, Boytsov, Szpilka) Glazkov has good reflexes and athleticism too but his headmovement (which is quite active) is a more conventional slipping & countering with occasional bobing or weaving. He also keeps his hands up and blocks, catches, parries punches so his more complete and multi-faceted defense involves less risk and is well suited against any size or style of HW. Due to this i rate Slava's defense as being better than Kubrat's. This content is protected This content is protected This content is protected I think Glazkov has more variety to his skill set and style BUT that doesn't mean i think Pulev isn't as good a HW. The effectiveness that he does have with the tools he uses along with the unorthodoxness of those tools means he has just as much potential in the the future of the division. I assure you that wouldn't happen.
Of course the amateurs don't always translate to the pros, but Pulev did come out on top h2h whenever they squared off and also generally performed better at a similar level of competition. He also has the slightly better pro ledger so far, although he debuted a few months after Glazkov. OTOH - of course triangle logic doesn't always work in boxing, but Glazkov did thwart Rivas to whom Pulev has a never-avenged loss. Glazkov also has the single greatest professional victory between them, in Bakhtov - and has netted more impressive results against their two common professional opponents. (stopping both Oloukun and Orlov; against whom Pulev took a decision and a DQ respectively)
:happy I was hoping you'd weigh in on this. :yep I think I rate Pulev's defense a bit higher for the exact reason you prefer Glazkov's. That almost slick, eel-like unorthodoxy makes him difficult to hit and able to frustrate slower-handed foes IMO more than Glazkov's effective but very textbook approach. Of course, Glazkov can strike a target much faster than an Ustinov or Orlov so Pulev would need to be absolutely sharp and on his A-game reflexively for the style to work. Underestimating Glazkov (which I don't think he'd do, knowing him so intimately from the AMs) could lead to Kubrat getting lit up from mid-range by Slava's much straighter punches.
I'd have to favor Pulev. He'd jab the snot outta Glaskov and I just don't see Glaskov doing anything better than him tbh. I mean, against Hamer, Glaskov looked only slightly better by comparison. Of course the first 2 rds couldve been a feelout process for him, but even when he turned it up in the 4th, I would consider the effectiveness to be more on the art of Hamers quitting than a serious gap in ability.:think Hamer doesnt win a minute of a round vs Pulev though.:deal
Imp Glazkov didn't impress anyone against Tor Hamer. He's also shorter, 12-13 kg's lighter, shorter reach, less power, went the distance with Konstantin Airich who Manual Charr and Tye Fields destroyed in 1 round :rofl This isn't an interesting match up imo, because there's nothing to suggest that the Imp will beat Pulev at this point.
I'm a big Pulev fan. I think he'd take this on points. Glazkov hasn't really impressed me that much yet.
Perhaps not, but styles make fights. I could easily counter that Glazkov outshone him against Orlov (posted above) and Oloukun... PULEV VS. OLOUKUN [yt]Lc9TiqKAYp4[/yt] [yt]4pfOKKjE_zw[/yt] [yt]B_ZaT5MRqxE[/yt] GLAZKOV VS. OLOUKUN [yt]y2ww-V8QO9k[/yt]
I favor Pulev, but people writing off Glazkov as out of his league should reconsider. They are both very conservative of energy, but with different methodology. Pulev is selective and not interested in throwing an awful lot. Glazkov meanwhile has a nonstop motor - but it isn't a pitty-pat style carried over from the amateurs. He varies between snapping and pushing his punches, which keeps opponents off-balance and vulnerable to "lulls" and walking into hard stuff. His accurate straight right hand is maybe a more hurtful power punch than any Pulev has - and it isn't even his best! His body punching is absolutely lethal for a heavyweight. It's what made both Oloukun and Hamer quit.
Yeah like i said Pulev's defense will be very effective against most opponents but it can potentially be exploited against very good big men or guys who have speed, combination punchers, or counter punching. So Pulev's defense may look more dominant against the vast majority of opponents the possibility of it being exploited against the wrong opponent existes, for Glazkov it doesn't When looking at their number of signature wins in the AM's remember that Pulev fought for over 8 years at world class level, over 5 at SHW . Glazkov only fought at SHW for about 3.5 years, is four years younger than Kubrat and moved to SHW in 2005 with all of their fights happening in 2005/6 so their H2H results and numbe of notable victories aren't really a accurate comparision. Glazkov has a slight edge in power if anything and Airich is a journeyman who fights under all sorts of conditions. He had a full camp for Glazkov and had just fought Solis going the distance and winning a couple rounds, Slava dominated him far more convincingly than Solis did.
Yeah, Glazkov's handling of Airich made Solis' effort look embarrassing. Then again, Charr and Fields did both smash him in minutes - but I don't know how "up" for those Airich was.