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.

Early life

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 he is the younger brother of professional boxer Kubrat Pulev. 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 won the silver medal at the European [Amateur Boxing Championships|European Championship in Moscow, Russia]. Same year he participated in the European Cup Tournament in Kharkiv, Ukraine. At the final of the tournament he lost to Oleksandr Usyk. In 2011 Pulev won again the silver medal at the European Championship in Ankara, Turkey. In 2015 Pulev won 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
20Win19–1Rolly LambertUD1030 Mar 2024Sofia Hall, Sofia, Bulgaria
19Win18–1Dionardo MinorUD614 Dec 2023The Hangar, Costa Mesa, California, United States
18Win17–1Joel ShojgreenRTD3, 3:0013 April 2023The Hangar, Costa Mesa, California, United States
17Loss16–1Sergey KovalevUD1014 May 2022Kia Forum, Inglewood, California, United States
16Win16–0Vikapita MeroroTKO9, 1:3029 Jan 2021Next Door Arena, Dar-Es-Salaam, Tanzania
15Win15–0DeShon WebsterUD1214 Dec 2019Kolodruma, Plovdiv, BulgariaWon vacant WBA International cruiserweight title
14Win14–0Kai KurzawaTKO1, 1:008 Nov 2019Bergisch Gladbach, Germany
13Win13–0Mitch WilliamsUD624 Mar 2019The Hangar, Costa Mesa, California, US
12Win12–0Leonardo BruzzeseKO2, 0:2827 Oct 2018Arena Armeec, Sofia, BulgariaWon European Union cruiserweight title
11Win11–0Armando AnconaTKO1, 2:068 June 2018Allstate Arena, Rosemont, Illinois US
10Win10–0Laszlo PenzesKO2, 2:107 April 2018Erste Bank Arena, Vienna, Austria
9Win9–0Valery BrudovUD810 Mar 2018Bruno Gehrke Halle, Berlin, Germany
8Win8–0Scott FutrellTKO1, 2:413 Mar 2018The Belvedere, Chicago, Illinois, US
7Win7–0Artsiom CharniakevichTKO2, 2:5523 Dec 2017Boxhalle Marzahn, Berlin, Germany
6Win6–0Mikheil KhutsishviliTKO1, 1:3018 Nov 2017Sporthalle Zur Kuhdrift 1, Neustadt-Glewe, Germany
5Win5–0Artem RedkoTKO3, 1:3211 Nov 2017Werner-Seelenbinder-Sportpark, Berlin, Germany
4Win4–0Drazen ZanjaninKO2, 1:1830 Jun 2017Werner-Seelenbinder-Sportpark, Berlin, Germany
3Win3–0Jakub WojcikTKO3, 2:3528 Apr 2017Arena Armeec, Sofia, Bulgaria
2Win2–0Ramazi GogichashviliKO1, 2:528 Apr 2017Werner-Seelenbinder-Sportpark, Berlin, Germany
1Win1–0Tomislav RudanTKO3, 0:523 Dec 2016Arena Armeec, Sofia, Bulgaria

Personal life

Tervel Pulev has two sons Kaloyan and Asparuh with Diana Nenova, Bulgarian volleyball player and member of the national team.
Pulev has a Мaster’s degree graduate of the National Sports Academy (NSA), 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 "Sport Center Pulev" located in Sofia.