The purse bid for the WBA World Heavyweight Regular Title mandatory bout between champion Kubrat Pulev of Bulgaria (32 wins, 14 KOs, 3 losses) and No. 2 ranked Michael Hunter of the United States (24 wins, 17 KOs, 1 loss, 2 draws) was won by Don King, who promotes Hunter, with a successful bid of $1.1 million (approximately 160.3 million yen).
The fight is scheduled to take place on August 23 (August 24 Japan time) in the United States. While the exact venue has not been decided, possible locations include Florida (where King is based), Las Vegas, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. The purse will be split with Pulev receiving 75%, amounting to $825,000 (approx. 120.5 million yen), and Hunter receiving 25%, or $275,000 (approx. 40.2 million yen).
The WBA had initially ordered a mandatory bout between Pulev and No. 1 ranked Fabio Wardley of the UK (18 wins, 17 KOs, 1 draw, undefeated). However, negotiations fell through. Frank Warren of Queensberry Promotions, who promotes Wardley, had already secured a venue for the Pulev fight. In order to preserve this arrangement, the WBA approved an interim title fight instead.
An interim title fight was then scheduled between Wardley and No. 4 ranked Jarrell Miller of the U.S. (26 wins, 22 KOs, 1 loss, 2 draws), but Miller withdrew due to a shoulder injury.
As a result, No. 9 ranked Justis Huni of Australia (12 wins, 7 KOs, undefeated) was named as the replacement. The bout will take place on June 7 (June 8 Japan time) at Portman Road Stadium in Ipswich, England—Wardley’s hometown.
The WBA Championship Committee holds explicit authority to alter mandatory defense timelines and suspend other applicable rules. Under this authority, they granted special permission for the title bouts. While this may appear highly flexible, it ultimately renders the series of title approvals justifiable.
After approving the interim title fight, the WBA ordered Regular Champion Kubrat Pulev to face the WBA Gold Champion and No. 2 ranked Michael Hunter. The negotiation deadline was set for April 4 (April 5 Japan time), but talks between the 44-year-old Bulgarian national hero Pulev and 36-year-old Hunter, who is promoted by Don King, were protracted and difficult.
The WBA has mandated that the winner of Pulev vs. Hunter must face the winner of Wardley vs. Miller within 180 days of their respective bouts, or by no later than December 31, 2025.
However, in March, the WBA also announced that current WBA Super Champion Oleksandr Usyk of Ukraine (23-0, 14 KOs) will not be subject to any mandatory defenses for the next 24 months. As a result, it appears the WBA Heavyweight division is once again entering an era of title fragmentation—Super, Regular, and Interim champions all existing simultaneously.
Outside of Bulgaria, the matchup between the two fighters has attracted little attention both in the United States and globally. For now, the key question is whether the fight will actually take place on August 23 (August 24 Japan time).
Still, it’s remarkable that even more than half a century after the “Rumble in the Jungle” — Ali vs. Foreman in 1974 — 93-year-old Don King remains deeply devoted to the heavyweight division. The fighters may no longer be as prominent as they once were, but his passion endures.
More than half a century has passed since the “Rumble in the Jungle” — Ali vs. Foreman in 1974 — but it wasn’t just a memory; it was a miracle that became part of history.
This article has been translated and published with permission from BOXING MASTER.
https://boxing-master.com/prof/embed/#?secret=x2hdidccEV#?secret=JaONuGYWG5
This article has been translated and published with permission from the original author.
The original content belongs to [Name of author/blog].
コメントを残す