Kubrat Pulev: The Man to ruin Fury-Joshua

IBF  mandatory challenger Kubrat Pulev has a chance to play spoiler to the ultimate dream match on June 20th.

Ever since Tyson Fury dethroned the five year reign of Deontay Wilder as WBC heavyweight champion on February 22nd, boxing fans and media has been “coming out of the woodwork” to talk about the potential undisputed All-Britain heavyweight championship bout into existence of Fury taking on Unified Champion Anthony Joshua.

? @KubratPulev has had to bide his time…

THAT stare from @AnthonyFJoshua!

Full details of Sky Sports Box Office world heavyweight title fight: https://t.co/6GbOwKlMN8 pic.twitter.com/rnqGkbKdiC

— Sky Sports Boxing (@SkySportsBoxing) March 2, 2020

Two problems clearly are in the way of this:

1. Wilder, following a week of bizarre excuses, blame game and such, has already locked in the rematch clause for the trilogy bout which will take place July 18 back at the scene of the first fight, the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

2. The man with the opportunity to “upset the apple cart” is Pulev, as it was made official his long awaited mandatory title bout taking on Joshua in Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, England.

I know what your thinking.

Do I seriously think Pulev (28-1, 14 KOs) has anything more than a puncher’s chance against Joshua as he’ll be 39 by the time these two matchup? Gambling site the Sports Geek has Pulev at +600 as of this writing which makes him a 6 to 1 underdog out the gate. That is a small number considering the last time Joshua lost was to a late replacement named Andy Ruiz who came in at 30-1 before causing the biggest upset in boxing since the internet has been created.

My answer? It wouldn’t be the craziest thing we’ve seen in boxing.

Pulev has a chance to potentially erase what has been in the boxing world a chance at history in his quest to become champion in his second time out since he took on Wladimir Klitschko back in 2014. That bout Klitschko stopped Pulev in the fifth round.  That was over six years ago and Pulev is looking to avoid that again against Joshua.

“I am happy to have the opportunity to show the world how strong I really am,” said Pulev in a press announcement of the fight. “Becoming the Heavyweight Champion has always been a dream of mine and on June 20, 2020 I will fulfill my destiny!”

In order for Joshua to have the chance to take the new champ Fury and the fantasy match, he has to do his part in taking care of Pulev. Which means, he can’t fall into the same pitfalls that happened last June against Andy Ruiz.

Just know that Pulev is looking to follow suit as Ruiz to rewrite history.