Background and career
Kubrat Venkov Pulev (Bulgarian: Кубрат Венков Пулев; born 4 May 1981) is a Bulgarian professional boxer. He held the World Boxing Association (WBA) heavyweight title (Regular version) from 2024 to 2025. At regional level, he has held multiple heavyweight championships, including the European title twice between 2012 and 2016. As an amateur, he won a gold and silver medal at the 2004 and 2005 European Union Championships; bronze at the 2005 World Championships; and bronze and gold at the 2006 and 2008 European Championships. He also represented Bulgaria at the 2008 Olympics.
In February 2002, Pulev won the Strandzha Cup in his native Bulgaria. Pulev, who is nicknamed "The Cobra", beat Cuban world champion Odlanier Solís in the process. One month later, he lost a rematch to the Cuban at the semifinal of the Chemiepokal Cup. He could not participate at the Euros 2002 in Perm after breaking his arm in sparring. At the World Championships 2003, he lost again in the first round to Odlanier Solís 7:12. At the European boxing championships 2004 in Pula, he defeated world class Alexander Povernov (World Championships Bronze medalist 2005). Pulev did not qualify for the Olympics despite the fact that he won the last qualifying tournament in Gothenburg. He had to settle for the first reserve place because the heavyweight division consists of only 16 fighters participating in the Olympic Games.
Pulev beat Islam Timurziev at super-heavyweight at the Strandja Cup 2005. At the EU Championships he lost the final 18:24 to Italian southpaw Roberto Cammarelle. At the 2005 World Amateur Boxing Championships he won bronze, losing for the third time to Odlanier Solís 11:25. In 2006, at the Chemiepokal he beat Vyacheslav Glazkov and Magomed Abdusalamov. He finished at third place at the European Championships in Plovdiv. After defeating Glazkov again he was easily beaten (RSCO) by former victim and eventual winner, Islam Timurziev of Russia. In 2007. he won the Chemiepokal tournament and was regarded as one of the favorites at the 2007 World Amateur Boxing Championships, but had a bad draw and lost early to southpaw Olympic bronze medalist and eventual winner Roberto Cammarelle. In 2008, he won the Strandja Cup once again beating PanAm Champion Robert Alfonso 19:9. He beat Jaroslavas Jakšto and Marko Tomasović to qualify for the Olympics 2008. There he was upset in his first bout by young Colombian Óscar Rivas. In absence of Roberto Cammarelle, he beat Marko Tomasović, Roman Kapitonenko and Denis Sergeev to claim the European Championship. At the 2009 World Amateur Boxing Championships he lost again to Roberto Cammarelle.
Pulev turned professional, at the age of 28, in September 2009 at the Jahnsportforum in Neubrandenburg, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. He defeated Florian Benche via 2nd-round technical knockout. Pulev fought another three times in the next three months, winning them all. He ended his first professional year with 4 wins and no losses. Within two years, he built up a record of 14 wins and no losses.
Pulev got his first title opportunity when it was announced in March 2012 he would fight Alexander Dimitrenko (32–1, 21 KOs) on the Marco Huck vs. Ola Afolabi WBO cruiserweight championship undercard on 5 May in Erfurt, Germany for the vacant EBU European Heavyweight Championship. Many observers were giving both fighters an even chance to win, and expected the winner of this bout to fight for the title in the near future. Some observers expected the fight to bring Dimitrenko back into the title contention. Pulev and his trainer Otto Ramin expected a tough fight although Dimitrenko had not fought since September 2011. Pulev was outweighed by 12 pounds at the weigh in, coming in at 245 pounds. Dimitrenko started the fight well, using his height and reach to his advantage. He also moved well on his feet to avoid punishment. In round 4, Pulev began to find his range and began countering and landing some power punch combinations of his own, rocking Dimitrenko at times. Pulev's punches were much more effective than his opponents. Dimitrenko looked faded as he entered round 11. Pulev landed a jab which slowly dropped Dimitrenko to a knee. At this point, he had taken much punishment and remained down. Referee Guido Cavalleri counted him out, giving Pulev an 11th-round KO win.
On 1 August 2012, it was announced that Pulev would defend his European and IBF International heavyweight titles against unbeaten Belarus boxer Alexander Ustinov (27–0, 21 KOs) on 29 September in Hamburg. At the time, due to being the EBA heavyweight champion, Ustinov was not ranked by the EBU. Ustinov vacated the title and the EBU confirmed he would be included in September's rankings. The fight was also set to be an IBF eliminator. Ustinov weighed in over 300 pounds on the scales. Pulev dominated the fight from the opening bell working well behind his jab and landing the harder shots. Pulev maintained the balance attack and landed more punches in round 11. Ustinov, after a slow reaction, took a knee and eventually counted out. By early-June 2013, the IBF had finally updated its heavyweight division rankings, making Pulev the official #1 contender for its heavyweight title. On 21 June, the EBU confirmed Alexander Dimitrenko as Pulev's mandatory challenger. They set the purse bid deadline for 10 July. On 18 July, Dimitrenko vacated his mandatory position. The EBU announced that Pulev would fight the next highest ranked fighter instead.
Sources
Net-worth figure: Celebrity Net Worth (October 2026), in USD. Biography and career facts: the person's Wikipedia article and linked reporting. Snapshot date for all StarWorth figures: 28 October 2026.
