BoxRec

The WBA's rankings are actually a shambles and Itauma's first few defences would likely be Hysa, Pero, Pero, Ljungquist, Suslenkov, Goodall or Charr.

Gassiev vs itamu is perfect.

Gassieve has regressed to a low volume low pressure plodder, but still has some power.

He loses rounds, so Itamu could outbox him, but could also engage with him… but if he does that and tries to go long then that’s 36 mins of avoiding a big shot…

If itamu goes to war he probably knocks out gassieve, but he really risks walking into one.

If Gassiev's one big shot every 4 and a half minutes is too much for him. Then Itauma ain't the prospect we all think he is.

gilgamesh wrote: ↑12 Dec 2025, 17:44 If Gassiev's one big shot every 4 and a half minutes is too much for him. Then Itauma ain't the prospect we all think he is.

Yea, itamu should win if he is anywhere near his hype . But it feels so he is the logical next step even without the wba reg. But with the wba reg he is a clear next step.

Then it’s just a matter of how much people believe his belt is real….. (it’s actually not easy to predict… no one believed chars, but everyone believed tanks…)

Whether his belt is real or not, if he keeps winning he's on the right track. Everyone knows who the real Champion is, and Itauma is already one of the Top 3 or 4 names in the mix to fight him. So if he keeps winning, he stays on track.

strange punch?

i must be paranoid everything to do with Gassiev seems dodgy.

The punch wasn't really strange, but everyone's reaction to it was.

What was strange? Just looked like a perfect shot to me.

I didn’t look that much of a punch, but you can hear it land, and the shocked expression on Pulev’s face says it all.

What did seem strange was the lack of urgency between the two of them, Pulev throwing arm punches like the one he lands just before he gets banjoed. but I guess they’re both shot to hell

Frank will be salivating at the prospect of putting Moses in with this guy, even if it’s for a paper title, it’s the road in…

Incredible turnaround, came out of nowhere, Pulev was boxing his ears off, Gassiev was eating jabs for fun, not sure what his tactics were apart from trudge forward taking lead lefts, Pulev was piling up the rounds as he did against Charr last time out, round 5 he was starting to land the right as well, turning it up a notch, Gassiev offered zilch then round 6 incredibly finds a left hook from the heavens which starches Pulev, he went down hard , head battered the canvas, stunning KO from behind

Pulev is the epitome of a shot fighter. Throws almost exclusively jabs and very slow to react the few times Gassiev threw a combination. I have no idea what Gassiev were up to. He seemed completely uninterested. He should have rolled over Pulev in a round or two, but instead he just slowly followed him around eating the jab, Pulev's only punch.

hhaehre wrote: ↑13 Dec 2025, 09:18 Pulev is the epitome of a shot fighter. Throws almost exclusively jabs and very slow to react the few times Gassiev threw a combination. I have no idea what Gassiev were up to. He seemed completely uninterested. He should have rolled over Pulev in a round or two, but instead he just slowly followed him around eating the jab, Pulev's only punch.

That's how Gassiev fought against Wallin

So this means we could have Gassiev vs. Usyk again at heavyweight, this time?

JxhDel. wrote: ↑13 Dec 2025, 12:00 So this means we could have Gassiev vs. Usyk again at heavyweight, this time?

If Gassiev beats Itauma then we probably would. It's a big if though.

why has he given it back to Pulev?

golden_labrador wrote: ↑14 Dec 2025, 05:14 why has he given it back to Pulev?

They always give the belts back.

That’s for Pulev to keep.

WBA will give Gassiev a new one.

Ruthless-RKO wrote: ↑14 Dec 2025, 05:58

golden_labrador wrote: ↑14 Dec 2025, 05:14 why has he given it back to Pulev?

They always give the belts back.

That’s for Pulev to keep.

WBA will give Gassiev a new one.

TIL. cheers

gilgamesh wrote: ↑12 Dec 2025, 16:50 Well one of them half hearted left hooks from Gassiev just knocked out Pulev

Actually. He did have some snap on it with the replay. Came outta nowhere though for sure.

i remember saying here some years ago that is the punch that beats kubrat pulev.

Magomed Abdusalamov Returns Ringside at Gassiev vs Pulev in Dubai

Ruthless-RKO wrote: ↑15 Dec 2025, 06:38 Magomed Abdusalamov Returns Ringside at Gassiev vs Pulev in Dubai

I wondered who that was! Good to see he's doing well enough to be out and about

I don't think the fight was nearly as boring and people here say. If you wanted Gassiev to be active, yeah the first 3 rounds were a bore. But Pulev pushed the action and was very active.

And by the 4th round it was a good fight--rounds 4 and 5 were really good HW boxing rounds. The fight was just heating up.

Gassiev landed a classic KO punch, but too much of the fight saw him taking straight punches to the head, especially in round 5. He looked like Joe Joyce there (minus the workrate obv), taking endless shots and showing no expression. But we know how that ended up working for Joyce. I don't think Gassiev should try that against Itauma.

Ruthless-RKO wrote: ↑14 Dec 2025, 05:58

golden_labrador wrote: ↑14 Dec 2025, 05:14 why has he given it back to Pulev?

They always give the belts back.

That’s for Pulev to keep.

WBA will give Gassiev a new one.

Have they given one to Fres Oquendo to keep him sweet?

Ruthless-RKO wrote: ↑15 Dec 2025, 06:38 Magomed Abdusalamov Returns Ringside at Gassiev vs Pulev in Dubai

His beautiful wife by his side, for better or for worse. Great to see that. I know he eventually received a $22 million settlement, it's a disgrace that it took years to get the money.

joshj909 wrote: ↑13 Dec 2025, 12:18

JxhDel. wrote: ↑13 Dec 2025, 12:00 So this means we could have Gassiev vs. Usyk again at heavyweight, this time?

If Gassiev beats Itauma then we probably would. It's a big if though.

Got it. Some great chance for Moses.