# Tervel Pulev

Tervel Venkov Pulev (Bulgarian: Тервел Венков Пулев) 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 CSKA, 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 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 (2004), Spain (2006), Serbia (2008, 2010, 2011), Dagestan (2009), Bulgaria – Strandja Cup (2011, 2014), Albania (2012), Turkey (2012).
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

| Year | Competition | Location | Result |
| 2004 | | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 1st |
| 2006 | | Spain | 1st |
| 2008 2010 2011 | | Serbia | 1st |
| 2009 | | Russia | 1st |
| 2010 | European Cup | Kharkiv, Ukraine | 2nd |
| 2011 | Strandja Cup | Pazardzhik, Bulgaria | 1st |
| 2012 | | Albania | 1st |
| 2012 | Olympic qualifier | Turkey | 1st |
| 2012 | Boxing at the 2012 Summer Olympics | London, United Kingdom | 3rd |
| 2014 | Strandja Cup | Sofia, Bulgaria | 1st |

## 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 (Unanimous decision) 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

| 20 fights | 19 wins | 1 loss |
| By knockout | 14 | 0 |
| By decision | 5 | 1 |
| No. | Result | Record | Opponent | Type | Round, time | Date | Location | Notes |
| 20 | Win | 19–1 | Rolly Lambert | UD | 10 | 30 March 2024 | Sofia Hall, Sofia, Bulgaria | |
| 19 | Win | 18–1 | Dionardo Minor | UD | 6 | 14 Dec 2023 | The Hangar, Costa Mesa, California, United States | |
| 18 | Win | 17–1 | Joel Shojgreen | RTD | 3 (8), 3:00 | 13 April 2023 | The Hangar, Costa Mesa, California, United States | |
| 17 | Loss | 16–1 | Sergey Kovalev | UD | 10 | 14 May 2022 | Kia Forum, Inglewood, California, United States | |
| 16 | Win | 16–0 | Vikapita Meroro | TKO | 9 (10), 1:30 | 29 Jan 2021 | Next Door Arena, Dar-Es-Salaam, Tanzania | |
| 15 | Win | 15–0 | DeShon Webster | UD | 12 | 14 Dec 2019 | Kolodruma, Plovdiv, Bulgaria | Won vacant WBA International cruiserweight title |
| 14 | Win | 14–0 | Kai Kurzawa | TKO | 1 (8), 1:00 | 8 Nov 2019 | Bergisch Gladbach, Germany | |
| 13 | Win | 13–0 | Mitch Williams | UD | 6 | 24 Mar 2019 | The Hangar, Costa Mesa, California, US | |
| 12 | Win | 12–0 | Leonardo Bruzzese | KO | 2 (12), 0:28 | 27 Oct 2018 | Arena Armeec, Sofia, Bulgaria | Won European Union cruiserweight title |
| 11 | Win | 11–0 | Armando Ancona | TKO | 1 (8), 2:06 | 8 June 2018 | Allstate Arena, Rosemont, Illinois US | |
| 10 | Win | 10–0 | Laszlo Penzes | KO | 2 (8), 2:10 | 7 April 2018 | Erste Bank Arena, Vienna, Austria | |
| 9 | Win | 9–0 | Valery Brudov | UD | 8 | 10 Mar 2018 | Bruno Gehrke Halle, Berlin, Germany | |
| 8 | Win | 8–0 | Scott Futrell | TKO | 1 (4), 2:41 | 3 Mar 2018 | The Belvedere, Chicago, Illinois, US | |
| 7 | Win | 7–0 | Artsiom Charniakevich | TKO | 2 (8), 2:55 | 23 Dec 2017 | Boxhalle Marzahn, Berlin, Germany | |
| 6 | Win | 6–0 | Mikheil Khutsishvili | TKO | 1 (8), 1:30 | 18 Nov 2017 | Sporthalle Zur Kuhdrift 1, Neustadt-Glewe, Germany | |
| 5 | Win | 5–0 | Artem Redko | TKO | 3 (8), 1:32 | 11 Nov 2017 | Werner-Seelenbinder-Sportpark, Berlin, Germany | |
| 4 | Win | 4–0 | Drazen Zanjanin | KO | 2 (8), 1:18 | 30 Jun 2017 | Werner-Seelenbinder-Sportpark, Berlin, Germany | |
| 3 | Win | 3–0 | Jakub Wojcik | TKO | 3 (6), 2:35 | 28 Apr 2017 | Arena Armeec, Sofia, Bulgaria | |
| 2 | Win | 2–0 | Ramazi Gogichashvili | KO | 1 (6), 2:52 | 8 Apr 2017 | Werner-Seelenbinder-Sportpark, Berlin, Germany | |
| 1 | Win | 1–0 | Tomislav Rudan | TKO | 3 (6), 0:52 | 3 Dec 2016 | Arena Armeec, Sofia, Bulgaria | |

## Personal life

Tervel Pulev has two sons Kaloyan (born in 2008) and Asparuh (born in 2016) 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.