Bulgarian puncher Kubrat Pulev has backed Deontay Wilder to return to action stronger than ever following an uncharacteristic performance.
Wilder lost to Pulev’s stablemate Tyson Fury in seven rounds and barely put up a challenge when losing his WBC title.
As Pulev prepares to face Anthony Joshua, knowing a win places him for an undisputed unification with the winner of Fury vs Wilder III, the veteran gave Wilder a firm pat on the back.
DEONTAY WILDER
“Deontay Wilder wasn’t on his usual mental level. That wasn’t the Deontay Wilder we all know. What’s the reason for that? He’s the only one who knows it. I’m just saying that in this fight, he wasn’t the boxer we were used to seeing in the ring,” Pulev told Sky Sports.
Asked if he could you Fury instead of Joshua, Pulev stated that was possibly one for the future.
“I’m looking forward to a Fury fight as well. Having said that, I’ll be happy to face him after I beat Joshua.
“Fighting with Fury would be a great challenge for me, and it would also bring me a great amount of pleasure.”
On whether Fury is now the best heavyweight on the planet, Pulev continued: “There still isn’t one who is the best. All in the top 10 are good boxers, but the best one is yet to be decided.
“That’s precisely the reason why heavyweight boxing is currently so interesting and unpredictable. But there will be a best one – very, very soon,” he predicted.
BOB ARUM
Finally, in the wake of Bob Arum telling WBN of his belief Pulev will knock Joshua out, the IBF number one was grateful for the vote of confidence.
“Bob is an amazing guy. He’s so experienced. He has seen so many things in the world of boxing. He knows so much.
“He’s a guy you can never mislead. In this case, he’s not wrong either, and I’m full of ambition to prove him right. I’ll meet his expectations in the best way possible.”
Joshua vs Pulev is currently up in the air due to the coronavirus crisis. There’s no known date after the cancellation of a summer UK meeting.
