Usyk’s next opponent may be a Russian. How is that possible?

Regular world champion in super heavyweight, Bulgarian Kubrat Pulev (32–3, 14 KOs) will enter the ring on December 12 against the Russian Murat Gasiyev (32–2, 25 KOs), who is boxing under the flag of Armenia.

Initially, the World Boxing Association (WBA) sanctioned the fight of the title holder against the undefeated Briton Moses Itauma, but Pulev announced that he had already signed a contract with the Russian.

The winner of this confrontation will become a mandatory contender for the full-fledged WBA belt, which is currently held by the representative of Ukraine Oleksandr Usyk.

It is worth noting that the Ukrainian has already met in the ring with Gasiev – in July 2018, he defeated Murat by unanimous decision of the judges in a fight for the title of absolute world champion in the cruiserweight limit.

Pulev last entered the ring in December of last year, when he stopped the German-Syrian Mahmoud Charr after 12 rounds. If Usyk refuses to fight the winner of the Gasiev-Pulev pair, he will have to leave his title vacant.