Kubrat Pulev vs Murat Gassiev WBA World Title Fight Is Set For December 12th; Moses Itauma Will Likely Fight The Winner

Press Release:

The eyes of the sporting world will be fixed firmly on the luxurious city of Dubai as the IBA and Epic Sports & Entertainment deliver an historic night of boxing, headlined by the WBA Heavyweight World Title clash between Kubrat Pulev (32-3, 14 KOs) and Murat Gassiev (32-2, 25 KOs) at the stacked IBA Pro 13 card.

Slated for Friday, 12 December 2025, the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium will host a defining moment for boxing, as two seasoned titans battle for the WBA Heavyweight Title, a belt immortalised by icons such as Muhammad Ali, Evander Holyfield and Lennox Lewis.

Despite reports linking Pulev to a bout with rising star Moses Itauma next, the groundbreaking partnership between IBA and Epic Sports & Entertainment will now see the 20-year old prodigy forced to wait for his opportunity to capture Heavyweight Championship gold - with a bout against the winner of the December 12 showpiece event mooted for the heavyweight wünderkind.

Kubrat Pulev, the Bulgarian “Cobra,” enters as the reigning WBA Heavyweight Champion, having captured the title with a commanding unanimous decision over Mahmoud Charr in Sofia, Bulgaria, in March 2024.

Boasting a record of 32-3 and 14 KOs and entering the bout on a three-fight win streak, the 44-year-old veteran combines a stellar amateur pedigree with an established professional ledger, having shared the ring with modern giants Wladimir Klitschko and Anthony Joshua. Known for his thudding jab, advanced ring IQ and granite chin, Pulev’s technical style and 6’4” frame make him a threat for anyone in the division.

Russian power-puncher 7th Murat Gassiev brings a fearsome 32-2 record with 25 KOs, boasting a knockout rate over 78%. A former unified IBF and WBA cruiserweight champion, “Iron” rose to prominence in the inaugural World Boxing Super Series in 2018 with a series of dazzling knockouts, including his demolition of Cuban danger-man Yuniel Dorticos and Polish war-horse Krzysztof Wlodarczyk.

Since moving to heavyweight in 2019, the 32-year-old has racked up a host of eye-catching stoppage wins; including a fifth-round KO of Kem Ljungquist in 2024 and a TKO over Jeremiah Milton recently in August. A brutal body-puncher with dynamite in both fists, the 6’3” wrecking ball now has his sights set on becoming the first Russian heavyweight champion since Alexander Povetkin, who held the same WBA title between 2011 and 2013.