The World Boxing Association has released Kubrat Pulev from the obligation to defend his belt as a regular world heavyweight champion against American Michael Hunter, BTA reported.
Instead, the Bulgarian will have to enter the ring against Briton Moses Itauma if he wants to retain his title.
With a decision dated October 14 (Tuesday), published by journalist Dan Raphael, the World Boxing Association (WBA) accepted that a match between 44-year-old Pulev and 37-year-old Hunter will not take place, after their staffs failed to reach an agreement to schedule the meeting. The WBA reports that Hunter has other desires to develop his career and is no longer in a position to be a contender for the belt that Pulev won at the end of last year with a victory over the German Mahmud Char.
For this reason, the WBA has determined a new opponent for the Bulgarian. This is the Slovak-born British boxer Moses Itauma. The 20-year-old Itauma has 13 fights in the professional ring, winning all 13. In 11 of them, he achieved victory by knockout, and in all of them the crushing blow came in the first or second round.
Pulev and Itauma have until November 14 of this year to agree on the holding of the fight. Otherwise, the organization of the match will be put up for auction.
Itauma's next match was expected to be on December 13 in Manchester against an opponent who has not yet been announced, but in all likelihood the WBA's decision will bring a change in the Briton's plans.
Kubrat Pulev has 35 matches in the professional ring, in which he has achieved 32 wins, 14 by knockout, and has suffered three losses.