STWF Sports | Dec. 12, 2025 – Murat Gassiev announced himself as a true force in the heavyweight division on Saturday night, delivering a stunning sixth-round knockout of Kubrat Pulev to claim the WBA ‘regular’ heavyweight title and the most significant victory of his career at the weight.
In a fight that had been tilting toward the veteran Pulev through the early rounds, Gassiev turned everything upside down with one perfectly timed punch — a thunderous left hook that sent the Bulgarian crashing to the canvas and unable to beat the count. The moment was as shocking as it was emphatic, showcasing the same explosive power that defined Gassiev’s rise at cruiserweight.
THE KNOCKOUT THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING
Midway through round six, Pulev launched a weary one-two combination — the same sequence he had used all night to control distance and frustrate Gassiev’s forward pressure. But this time, the Russian saw it coming. As Pulev moved to fire the second shot, Gassiev dipped, planted, and detonated a left hook that echoed through the arena.
Pulev fell flat on his back, eyes wide, arms splayed, as the referee began counting. The 42-year-old made a valiant effort to stand, wobbling upward at seven, but his legs betrayed him. Moments later, the fight was waved off.
It was the first time Pulev had been knocked out in more than a decade — not since December 2012, when Anthony Joshua stopped him in the ninth round.
A STUNNING TURNAROUND
Before the knockout, Pulev appeared in control. He used his jab as a disruptive weapon, snapping Gassiev’s head back repeatedly and dictating the pace. Though not throwing in volume, Pulev’s accuracy and veteran savvy kept Gassiev hesitant through the opening rounds.
Gassiev, however, was playing a long game.
He patiently stalked, absorbing data more than punches, forcing Pulev to carry the burden of movement and output. By the fifth round, the tide was shifting. Gassiev’s pressure tightened, his shots grew sharper, and Pulev’s early energy began to fade.
The trap was set. In the sixth, Gassiev sprung it with surgical precision.
GASSIEV’S HEAVYWEIGHT POWER IS UNDENIABLE
The victory moves Gassiev to 33-2, with a staggering 26 knockouts, including seven since moving up from cruiserweight. Every heavyweight he has defeated, he has stopped — a statistic few in today’s division can match.
His lone heavyweight blemish remains a razor-thin split decision loss to Otto Wallin in September 2023. Since then, Gassiev has rebuilt momentum with explosive finishes, each showcasing improved timing and comfort against bigger opposition.
Gassiev’s transition to heavyweight began after a lopsided loss to Oleksandr Usyk in 2018 for the undisputed cruiserweight championship. Now, with Usyk holding the WBA ‘super’ heavyweight belt, a storyline is emerging that few expected just a year ago.
A POSSIBLE USYK REMATCH?
Gassiev’s win places him firmly back in the title picture — and potentially back on a collision course with his former conqueror. While Usyk remains the division’s elite technician, Gassiev’s power has only grown, and a rematch at heavyweight would carry a dramatically different dynamic.
Whether the fight materializes in 2026 or beyond, Gassiev has made one thing clear: he is no longer a cruiserweight who dabbles at heavyweight. He is a full-fledged contender.
WHERE PULEV GOES FROM HERE
Pulev falls to 32-4 with the defeat, and at 42 years old, questions about his future are unavoidable. He boxed well early, but the knockout was decisive — the kind that forces a veteran to evaluate how much time is left in the sport.
GASSIEV’S STATEMENT TO THE DIVISION
One punch changed the fight, the rankings, and perhaps the future of the heavyweight landscape.
Murat Gassiev didn’t just beat Kubrat Pulev — he made a statement. And with the division in flux, with belts soon to move and big fights looming, the former cruiserweight champion has put the entire heavyweight world on notice.
He’s not just here to compete.
He’s here to conquer.
