Tervel Pulev


Tervel Venkov Pulev is a Bulgarian professional boxer. He has held the WBA International cruiserweight title since December 2019 and previously the European Union cruiserweight title in 2018. He is the younger brother of heavyweight boxer Kubrat Pulev.

Early life

Tervel Pulev was born on 10 January 1983 in Sofia, Bulgaria, the youngest son of Hristina and Venko Pulev. He grew up in a big family, one of five children – 3 sisters and his brother, Kubrat Pulev, who is also a professional boxer that competes in the heavyweight division. As children, the two brothers were trained by their father, who was convinced his sons would succeed in boxing. As a role model their father not only involved them in boxing, but he also influenced them about loving history, reading books and being patriots.

Amateur career

Pulev’s first club was , he won many times the national championship for junior, youth and men. Pulev joins the Bulgarian national representative team and in 1998 participates for the first time in the Youth European Championship in Jurmala, Latvia. During the years he had to defend his presence in the representative team, remaining undefeated from another Bulgarian boxer for the period from 2004 to 2016.
In 2010 Pulev wins the silver medal at the European Championship in Moscow, Russia. Same year he participated in the European Cup Tournament in Kharkov, Ukraine. At the final of the tournament he lost to Oleksandr Usyk. In 2011 Pulev wins again the silver medal at the European Championship in Ankara, Turkey. In 2015 Pulev wins the bronze medal at the European Championship in Samokov, Bulgaria after he lost to Evgeny Tishchenko at the semi-finals.
During his career we won many golden medals and cups at international tournaments held in: Mostar, Spain, Serbia, Dagestan, Bulgaria – Strandja Cup, Albania, Turkey.
The Tournament in Trabzon, Turkey has been from significant importance for Pulev as it was the last Olympic qualification for Europe zone, by winning Pulev caught the last chance to take the only left quota for the 2012 Summer Olympics
At this Olympic games Pulev won the bronze medal, one of the two Bulgarian olympic medals. Pulev defeated Wang Xuanxuan and Yamil Peralta which secured him a medal. At the semi-finals Pulev lost to Oleksandr Usyk, who won the gold medal.
Pulev was awarded Boxer of the Year in Bulgaria for three consequent years 2010, 2011 and 2012. He has also been nominated three times for Sportsman of the year.

International Tournaments

Professional career

Pulev made his professional debut on 3 December 2016 at Arena Armeec in Sofia, in the Main-Event of a card featuring Kubrat Pulev’s win of the World Boxing Association Inter-Continental Heavyweight Title against Samuel Peter, beating Tomislav Rudan by a TKO. Pulev won the following seven fights by KO/TKO in the early rounds. His ninth fight took place in Germany against Valery Brudov and this was the first time for Pulev not to break down the opponent in the very first rounds, but to win by points after the last round. The next three fights took place in Austria, USA and Bulgaria – all three won by KO/TKO. The bout in Bulgaria took place in Arena Armeec on 27 October 2018 and this was Pulev’s first title fight – he won the vacant EBU European Union Cruiserweight Title defeating Leonardo Bruzzese by KO. March 2019 was the second time for Pulev to win by points and Unanimous decision against Mitch Williams in USA at the Hangar, Costa Mesa. December 14, 2019 as the main event holder Pulev, outworked and outboxed American cruiserweight Deshon Webster to unanimous decision in Plovdiv, Bulgaria. In this 12 rounds fight Pulev won the WBA International cruiserweight title.

Professional boxing record

No.ResultRecordOpponentTypeRound, timeDateLocationNotes
15Win15–0 Deshon WebsterUD1214 Dec 2019Kolodruma, Plovdiv, Bulgaria.png" />Won vacant WBA International cruiserweight title
14Win14–0 Kai KurzawaTKO1, 1:008 Nov 2019Bergisch Gladbach, Germany.png" />
13Win13–0 Mitch WilliamsUD624 Mar 2019Costa Mesa, California, US.png" />
12Win12–0 Leonardo BruzzeseKO2, 0:2827 Oct 2018Won European Union cruiserweight title
11Win11–0 Armando AnconaTKO1, 2:068 June 2018Allstate Arena, Rosemont, Illinois, US.png" />
10Win10–0 Laszlo PenzesKO2, 2:107 April 2018Erste Bank Arena, Vienna, Austria.png" />
9Win9–0 Valery BrudovUD810 Mar 2018Berlin, Germany.png" />
8Win8–0 Scott FutrellTKO1 3 Mar 2018Chicago, Illinois, US.png" />
7Win7–0 Artsiom CharniakevichTKO2 23 Dec 2017
6Win6–0 Mikheil KhutsishviliTKO1 18 Nov 2017Neustadt-Glewe, Germany.png" />
5Win5–0 Artem RedkoTKO3 11 Nov 2017
4Win4–0 Drazen ZanjaninKO2, 1:1830 Jun 2017
3Win3–0 Jakub WojcikTKO3, 2:3528 Apr 2017
2Win2–0 Ramazi GogichashviliKO1 8 Apr 2017
1Win1–0 Tomislav RudanTKO3, 0:523 Dec 2016

Personal life

Tervel Pulev has two sons Kaloyan and Asparuh with Diana Nenova, Bulgarian volleyball player and member of the national team. Pulev enjoys reading books, playing chess, riding his horse Nedko, walks and training in the mountains, but most of all he loves spending time with his family.
Beside succeeding in boxing, Pulev pays extra attention to his academic education, Мaster’s degree graduate of the National Sports Academy, in 2019 he decided to enroll in the PhD program of the Academy. In 2018 Pulev became Master of Laws, graduating from Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski ". Pulev owns a sport center called located in Sofia, which offers perfect conditions for professionals’ preparation, as well as recreation sport activities and the opportunity to kids to involve in boxing, trained by qualified trainers. Pulev established a brand for sport equipment –