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Photos: Derek Chisora vs. Kubrat Pulev heavyweight war.
Derek Chisora defeated Kubrat Pulev by a split decision in a thrilling heavyweight brawl Saturday at O2 Arena in London.
Here are images from the fight. All photos by James Chance of Getty Images.
Derek Chisora defeated Kubrat Pulev by a split decision in an entertaining brawl Saturday in London.
Don’t count Derek Chisora out just yet.
The long-time heavyweight contender, 38 years old and coming off three consecutive losses, outlasted veteran Kubrat Pulev, 41, to win a brutal 12-round fight by a split decision Saturday night at 02 Arena in London.
Two judges had Chisora winning (116-112 and 116-114) while the third favored Pulev (116-112). Boxing Junkie scored it 115-113 for Chisora.
The victory was the first for the Londoner since October 2019, when he stopped David Price in four rounds in the same venue.
“I needed a win,” he said in the ring after the fight. “I’ve lost so many fights on the road. I needed a win. And what a great way to win it, at O2 Arena. I’m buzzing right now. It feels great to be a winner.”
Many had written off Chisora (33-12, 23 KOs) after he lost a clear decision against Joseph Parker in their rematch last December, which followed setbacks against Oleksandr Usyk (UD) and Parker (SD) in his two previous fights.
At his age and with such lack of success, how could he possibly go on? Well, he showed everyone on Saturday.
Chisora and Pulev gave fans a war better suited for younger men, as both gave and took considerable punishment.
The former’s game plan wasn’t complicated: come forward, pound the body, throw occasional shots upstairs and make your head a moving target. Pulev tried to keep the fight at range, fighting behind his jab and throwing long power shots.
Neither fighter was able to impose his plan with great success, which is why the fans got to see a gem.
Pulev was the busier fighter, letting his hands go from beginning to end. And he was able to land in spite of Chisora’s bobbing and weaving. However, if Chisora had an edge, he landed the cleaner, harder shots most of the fight – whether to the body or head.
That evidently is what impressed the two judges who gave Chisora the nod and pumped life into a declining career.
He was asked what might come next and threw out one name, that of former heavyweight champ Deontay Wilder.
“I don’t have many left in me,” Chisora said, “but what I have I want to give it all to you guys. … I’m on my way out, so I don’t want no easy fights. I want hard fights. I told Eddie the other day, ‘If you can get me the Bronze Bomber, I’ll be happy.’
“I want to fight everyone in my era. Win or lose, I just want to fight.”
Pulev (29-3, 14 KOs) a two-time title challenger, has now lost two of his last three fights. He was stopped by then-beltholder Anthony Joshua in nine rounds in December 2020 but rebounded to outpoint Jerry Forrest this past May.
Now Pulev will probably hear calls for him to retire. However, he showed more than enough in an entertaining fight to merit another chance. Both fighters did.
Derek Chisora defeated Kubrat Pulev by a split decision in an entertaining brawl Saturday in London.
Don’t count Derek Chisora out just yet.
The long-time heavyweight contender, 38 years old and coming off three consecutive losses, outlasted veteran Kubrat Pulev, 41, to win a brutal 12-round fight by a split decision Saturday night at 02 Arena in London.
Two judges had Chisora winning (116-112 and 116-114) while the third favored Pulev (116-112). Boxing Junkie scored it 115-113 for Chisora.
The victory was the first for the Londoner since October 2019, when he stopped David Price in four rounds in the same venue.
“I needed a win,” he said in the ring after the fight. “I’ve lost so many fights on the road. I needed a win. And what a great way to win it, at O2 Arena. I’m buzzing right now. It feels great to be a winner.”
Many had written off Chisora (33-12, 23 KOs) after he lost a clear decision against Joseph Parker in their rematch last December, which followed setbacks against Oleksandr Usyk (UD) and Parker (SD) in his two previous fights.
At his age and with such lack of success, how could he possibly go on? Well, he showed everyone on Saturday.
Chisora and Pulev gave fans a war better suited for younger men, as both gave and took considerable punishment.
The former’s game plan wasn’t complicated: come forward, pound the body, throw occasional shots upstairs and make your head a moving target. Pulev tried to keep the fight at range, fighting behind his jab and throwing long power shots.
Neither fighter was able to impose his plan with great success, which is why the fans got to see a gem.
Pulev was the busier fighter, letting his hands go from beginning to end. And he was able to land in spite of Chisora’s bobbing and weaving. However, if Chisora had an edge, he landed the cleaner, harder shots most of the fight – whether to the body or head.
That evidently is what impressed the two judges who gave Chisora the nod and pumped life into a declining career.
He was asked what might come next and threw out one name, that of former heavyweight champ Deontay Wilder.
“I don’t have many left in me,” Chisora said, “but what I have I want to give it all to you guys. … I’m on my way out, so I don’t want no easy fights. I want hard fights. I told Eddie the other day, ‘If you can get me the Bronze Bomber, I’ll be happy.’
“I want to fight everyone in my era. Win or lose, I just want to fight.”
Pulev (29-3, 14 KOs) a two-time title challenger, has now lost two of his last three fights. He was stopped by then-beltholder Anthony Joshua in nine rounds in December 2020 but rebounded to outpoint Jerry Forrest this past May.
Now Pulev will probably hear calls for him to retire. However, he showed more than enough in an entertaining fight to merit another chance. Both fighters did.
Derek Chisora vs. Kubrat Pulev: date, time, how to watch, background.
Heavyweights Derek Chisora and Kubrat Pulev will fight one another to remain relevant Saturday night at O2 Arena in London.
DEREK CHISORA (32-12, 23 KOS) VS. KUBRAT PULEV (29-2, 14 KOS)
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Derek Chisora vs. Kubrat Pulev: date, time, how to watch, background.
Heavyweights Derek Chisora and Kubrat Pulev will fight one another to remain relevant Saturday night at O2 Arena in London.
DEREK CHISORA (32-12, 23 KOS) VS. KUBRAT PULEV (29-2, 14 KOS)
[lawrence-related id=27103,19864,16305]
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Fight Week: Mark Magsayo will make his first title defense against Rey Vargas on Saturday in San Antonio.
Featherweight titleholder Mark Magsayo makes the first defense of his 126-pound title against Rey Vargas on Saturday in San Antonio. Also Saturday, in London, Derek Chisora will take on Kubrat Pulev.
MARK MAGSAYO (24-0, 16 KOS) VS. REY VARGAS (35-0, 22 KOS)
DEREK CHISORA (32-12, 23 KOS) VS. KUBRAT PULEV (29-2, 14 KOS)
ALSO FIGHTING THIS WEEK
SATURDAY
SUNDAY
Fight Week: Mark Magsayo will make his first title defense against Rey Vargas on Saturday in San Antonio.
Featherweight titleholder Mark Magsayo makes the first defense of his 126-pound title against Rey Vargas on Saturday in San Antonio. Also Saturday, in London, Derek Chisora will take on Kubrat Pulev.
MARK MAGSAYO (24-0, 16 KOS) VS. REY VARGAS (35-0, 22 KOS)
DEREK CHISORA (32-12, 23 KOS) VS. KUBRAT PULEV (29-2, 14 KOS)
ALSO FIGHTING THIS WEEK
SATURDAY
SUNDAY
Junior Dos Santos has signed a deal with Triller and is expected to debut in early 2022.
[autotag]Junior Dos Santos[/autotag]’ first fight since his departure from the UFC is in the works.
The former UFC heavyweight champion has signed with Triller and is expected to fight [autotag]Kubrat Pulev[/autotag] in Triad Combat in early 2022, with late February targeted. A Triller official confirmed the news to MMA Junkie following an initial report from TMZ on Tuesday morning.
Triad Combat is a new style of fighting launched by Triller last month. It pits MMA fighters vs. boxers under a set of rules intended to “level the playing field.”
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Dos Santos, 37, hasn’t fought since December 2020 when he suffered a second-round TKO loss to current UFC interim heavyweight champion Ciryl Gane. The defeat extended his losing streak to four and ended his 12-year run with the UFC. Since then, the Brazilian has made his pro wrestling debut with AEW and appeared on its programming several times with American Top Team owner Dan Lambert and teammates.
Meanwhile, Pulev is coming off a devastating, standing TKO win over former UFC champion Frank Mir in the main event of Triller’s inaugural Triad Combat event on Nov. 27. The 40-year-old holds a professional boxing record of 28-2 with the two loses coming in title fights against Anthony Joshua and Wladimir Klitschko.
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All fighters competing on the card were suspended by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, though many won’t have to wait long.
Triller debuted Triad Combat this past Saturday, and a handful of notable boxing and MMA fighters squared off under a hybrid ruleset.
Among those who competed were former boxing champion [autotag]Kubrat Pulev[/autotag], former UFC champion [autotag]Frank Mir[/autotag], former UFC welterweight [autotag]Mike Perry[/autotag], former UFC welterweight [autotag]Albert Tumenov[/autotag], former Bellator featherweight [autotag]Derek Campos[/autotag], and former Bellator and UFC heavyweight contender [autotag]Matt Mitrione[/autotag], among others.
Following the completion of their respective bouts, the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR), which regulated the event at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, handed out medical suspensions to all 14 competitors. Unlike some other commissioning bodies, the TDLR does not reveal the specific injuries or reasons the fighters have been suspended.
While the majority of the card were given suspensions under one month, undercard fighter [autotag]Angelina Hoffschneider[/autotag] is facing an indefinite layoff after a first-round knockout loss to Alexa Culp.
Outside of the indefinite suspension, Mir, who lost via standing TKO to Pulev at 1:59 into Round 1, was handed a 30-day sanction.
Scroll below to see the full list of medical suspensions handed out to the fighters who competed at Triller Triad Combat.
The main event of the first Triller Triad Combat didn’t last long, as boxing’s Kubrat Pulev ran through MMA’s Frank Mir.
ARLINGTON, TEXAS – Triller returned to the combat sports space on Saturday for Triad Combat, a special rules event pitting boxers and MMA fighters against each other.
Former UFC heavyweight champion [autotag]Frank Mir [/autotag]stepped inside the triangle-shaped ring to face the hard-hitting world boxing challenger [autotag]Kubrat Pulev[/autotag], in what promised to be a fight between two big sluggers who would not need the judges to determine the outcome.
The event took place at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, and aired on Fite TV.
After Michael Buffer performed his trademark introduction, the fight began. Pulev pawed out a left jab to get things started, but Mir was quick to initiate a clinch. After separating, Pulev went to work throwing quick combinations, prompting Mir to clinch again.
Mixing in shots to the body and the head, Pulev picked Mir apart. With a few seconds remaining in the round, Pulev landed a clean combination that put Mir out on his feet. As the referee stared on, Mir wobbled in place, clearly out of sorts. Pulev did not offer any follow-up punches and the fight was finally stopped after a bizarre moment as the first round came to a close.
Kubrat Pulev STOPS Frank Mir in the first round! #TriadCombat pic.twitter.com/t0BmaKYPSs
— FITE (@FiteTV) November 28, 2021
The belt is awarded to Kubrat Pulev #TriadCombat pic.twitter.com/szybCwRzHP
— FITE (@FiteTV) November 28, 2021
After the fight, Pulev was awarded a title belt, and offered praise for his opponent and propped up the future of Triad Combat.
The event had a team element in which the teams of boxers and MMA fighters tallied points throughout the evening. Even though the MMA side lost the main event, they won the evening as a whole, recording more victories than the boxers.
The full results of Triller Triad Combat include:
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