Kubrat Pulev vs. Jarrell Miller - 2025

[Ruthless-RKO]

Kubrat Pulev-Jarrell Miller in works for Saudi Arabia – unless Michael Hunter request is granted

Kubrat Pulev versus Jarrell Miller is in the works and could take place in Saudi Arabia early next year.

Pulev won the WBA “regular” heavyweight title earlier in December, when beating Mahmoud Charr over 12 rounds to return the much-maligned championship to prominence of sorts. Pulev’s representatives have asked the sanctioning body to grant a “special permit” to allow the Bulgarian veteran to take on Miller, who is ranked 13th in the weight class, rather than ordering a mandatory title defence.

The status of the championship, and the expectations from the WBA on Pulev, remain unclear. The secondary strap was to be phased out by the WBA after Oleksandr Usyk, the full champion, defeated the then-regular titlist Daniel Dubois on August 25, 2023. However, following extensive litigation with the WBA, the former regular belt-holder Charr – who won the trinket in 2017 and did not defend it – was reinstalled as the champion just five days after Usyk halted Dubois in nine rounds.

Michael Hunter is also keen to get embroiled in the chaos. He is ranked third by the WBA and, with Tyson Fury, first, and Martin Bakole, second, seemingly otherwise engaged, Team Hunter asked to be named as mandatory and for Pulev’s request for a special permit to be denied. While making the case, it was pointed out there hadn’t been a mandatory defense of the regular title since Dubois obliterated Trevor Bryan to win the belt in June 2022.

That’s not all. An elimination bout was requested on behalf of Cuba’s Lenier Pero, ranked fourth, “with anyone in the top 10”.

The Saudi paymaster Turki Alalshikh is said to be keen on staging Pulev-Miller. The American’s two most recent outings, a ninth-round loss to Dubois in December 2023 and a 12-round draw with Andy Ruiz Jnr in August, occurred on cards that were overseen by Alalshikh.

[joshj909]

Pulev is a handful for anyone, he's good at nullifying strengths and making a fight ugly. His age has dropped him down a notch so I'd be impressed if he can beat Hunter or Miller but I still think they would both be interesting fights. They might not be pretty to watch though.

Pero vs Miller/Hunter/Wardley/Gassiev/Itauma could all make for good fights too. Winner gets the winner of Pulev's defence I assume.

[gregregegg]

I find it very hard to believe a 43/44 year old pulev can hold of big baby for 12 rounds.

If he comes in in semi decent shape (closer to 300 than 350…) he should break pulev and stop him though accumulation.

Pulevs euro style has aged well, and will get some free jabs, but will they effect miller at all? Unlikely Will they keep miller off his chest, being horrible? Unlikely.? Can his 43 year old legs get rammed by 300lb for 12 rounds and hold up, unlikely.

I really really hopped a prospect would get this shot at pulev for the “wba world title” but I guess if anyone deserves all the oppertunity they have been getting it’s the big loud drug cheat…

[zorndeslammes]

Ask yourself - regardless of the outcome, does it really matter for the winner or the loser? Pulev wins and, well, he beat a guy who was a fringe contender so long ago HBO was still carrying the sport. If Miller wins, he's literally a boxer that was a fringe contender so long ago HBO was still carrying the sport and he won a fake world title against a mid-40s career gatekeeper best known for getting absolutely hammered by Wladimir Klitschko.

[funso banjo baby]

Hunter has done nothing for years.

[Ruthless-RKO]

WBA keep boxers in their rankings for years for no reason.

[Bobbyptsd]

Ask yourself - regardless of the outcome, does it really matter for the winner or the loser? Pulev wins and, well, he beat a guy who was a fringe contender so long ago HBO was still carrying the sport. If Miller wins, he's literally a boxer that was a fringe contender so long ago HBO was still carrying the sport and he won a fake world title against a mid-40s career gatekeeper best known for getting absolutely hammered by Wladimir Klitschko.

According to this guy there should be a few dozen fights a year I guess. Just don't bother with anything else.

As to the actual subject of the thread, I would assume mt. steroids would win at this point. I'd like to be wrong though.

[zorndeslammes]

According to this guy there should be a few dozen fights a year I guess. Just don't bother with anything else.

As to the actual subject of the thread, I would assume mt. steroids would win at this point. I'd like to be wrong though.

There's clearly something approaching a zero-sum number of fights and money available for fights: why would you waste any of those important resources for the sport on Kubrat Pulev/Jarrell Miller?