With many heavyweight contenders vying for position, especially as potential title vacancies emerge, the WBA `Regular` championship has gained significant importance. A specific date has now been confirmed for the upcoming bout between Kubrat Pulev and Michael Hunter, where this title will be contested.
Kubrat Pulev (32-3, 14 KOs), who has twice challenged unsuccessfully for major world titles, secured the WBA `Regular` belt by defeating Mahmoud Charr via decision in his home country last December. Following this victory, he was widely discussed as a potential opponent for fighters like Fabio Wardley and Moses Itauma.
However, in April, the World Boxing Association instead ordered the Bulgarian fighter to make his mandatory defense against Michael Hunter (24-1-2, 17 KOs). Hunter, a former WBO cruiserweight title challenger, moved up to the heavyweight division in 2018 following his first professional defeat to Oleksandr Usyk.
Since transitioning to heavyweight, Hunter, known as `The Bounty Hunter`, has secured wins over opponents such as Martin Bakole and Cassius Chaney. Despite these performances, he has faced difficulty in securing high-profile opportunities in recent years and is sometimes overlooked in discussions regarding top American heavyweights.
Nevertheless, Hunter is now set to get his chance to re-establish himself in the division by facing Pulev. The 36-year-old will likely be encouraged by the news that veteran promoter Don King successfully won the purse bid with a bid of $1,100,000 for the promotional rights to the fight. King intends to stage the event in the United States on Saturday, August 23, according to information shared on his Instagram.
The 93-year-old promoter Don King has previously mentioned locations including Las Vegas, Ohio, Florida, and Pennsylvania as possible hosts for the event. King notably promoted the fight between Trevor Bryan and Daniel Dubois for the same WBA `Regular` title in Miami back in 2022.
