The WBA is the oldest of boxing’s major world governing bodies, but it’s also the one that has made the strangest and most contradictory moves in recent decades. Among these is its now well-established habit of promoting some of its world champions to “Super Champion” status, while then making the regular WBA title available to someone else. One of the current beneficiaries of this absurd policy is Bulgarian heavyweight Kubrat Pulev, who will defend the WBA heavyweight title against Russia’s Murat Gassiev on December 12.
It takes a good deal of courage to take seriously the label of “world champion” when it comes to Pulev. Now 44 years old, he doesn’t even appear in The Ring’s top ten heavyweight rankings and would stand no chance against the elite fighters of the division. He claimed the controversial belt last December by outpointing the modest Mahmoud Charr.
The Bulgarian was a solid fighter in his prime but failed in the biggest moments of his career, suffering brutal knockout losses to Wladimir Klitschko in 2014 and Anthony Joshua in 2020.
Murat Gassiev, on the other hand, was a formidable cruiserweight. In the 200-pound division, the Russian captured both the WBA and IBF world titles. His 2018 slugfest with the fearsome Cuban Yuniel Dorticos remains a memorable and highly entertaining battle.
However, after a clear points loss to Ukrainian superstar Oleksandr Usyk, Gassiev’s career came to a halt due to a string of injuries. The heavy-handed fighter from North Ossetia is now trying to make his mark among the heavyweights, but despite scoring several knockouts in recent years, he’s looked a shadow of his former self.
The fight between Pulev and Gassiev will take place at the Duty Free Tennis Stadium in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.