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Kubrat Pulev to Defend WBA Heavyweight Title Against Fabio Wardley

Kubrat Pulev has been instructed to defend his WBA world heavyweight championship against British contender Fabio Wardley.

Wardley currently holds the position of No. 1 contender in the WBA rankings, having solidified his status with a decisive first-round knockout of Frazer Clarke during their rematch in October. This victory marked a significant milestone in his career, bringing his unbeaten record to 19 fights.

Earlier this year, Wardley expressed interest in competing for the IBF title against Daniel Dubois. However, his next opportunity lies in facing Pulev for his first world title match.

In their recent bout, Wardley showcased his striking power, landing a series of powerful right hands that caught Clarke off guard and concluded the rematch in a stunning fashion.

Currently, Oleksandr Usyk holds the WBC and WBO titles and is also recognized as the WBA ‘super’ champion. Pulev, meanwhile, holds a WBA title, which he secured through a points victory over Mahmoud Charr in December.

Having faced Anthony Joshua for the WBA and IBF championships in 2020, Pulev is a familiar name in the British boxing scene, despite suffering a ninth-round stoppage defeat. He later lost a closely contested points decision to Derek Chisora two years later. Since then, Pulev has made a comeback, achieving two wins and most recently defeating Charr by unanimous decision in Sofia.

Wardley’s reputation has grown significantly in recent years, enhanced by impressive knockout victories against notable British fighters Nathan Gorman and David Adeleye. His first encounter with Clarke ended in a draw last March, but in their rematch, Wardley demonstrated his dominance by stopping Clarke shortly after the fight commenced.

Catch Natasha Jonas as she takes on Lauren Price at the Royal Albert Hall, live on Sky Sports on Friday, March 7.

Source
www.skysports.com