Last night, in Triller’s brand-new Triad Combat presentation, former heavyweight title challenger Kubrat Pulev was far too good for former UFC heavyweight champ Frank Mir. In the triangle-shaped ring, the two fighters wearing MMA gloves, 40 year old Pulev wasted no time in letting his right hand go. Mir was soon in bad shape and another right – followed by a left to the jaw the referee could have prevented from even being thrown had he dived in as quickly as he should have done – had Mir doing a funny dance in the corner. Out on his feet, 42 year old Mir was finally saved by the ref.
It was all over at 1:59 of the opening round. But what did Pulev’s win really prove? Mir had done quite well in his boxing debut, when he took former cruiserweight champ Steve Cunningham the distance a few months back, so some fans felt he might, might, give Pulev a decent argument. Pulev, though, fighting for the first time since being stopped by Anthony Joshua last December, gave Mir no chance.
Pulev, now 29-2(15), with the win over Mir going on his official record, was in good shape last night and he has been offered a fight with Joe Joyce. “We’ve been getting a lot of offers. Joe Joyce is looking for us,” Ivaylo Gotzev told Sky Sports. “Kubrat is definitely not a stepping-stone for no-one, so we’re going to pick and choose our battles, and get him back to where he feels great. It’s all about how he wants to enter the ring and how long he wants to keep going for.”
Pulev may opt to take further Triad Combat fights; as effortlessly as he won last night, he may well see it as easy money. Joyce would almost certainly have too much strength, determination and firepower for Pulev but if the money is good the fight could happen.
It was a pretty entertaining night last night on Triller, the full results are as follows:
Kubrat Pulev TKO1 Frank Mir
Alexander Flores WUD Matt Mitrione
Mike Perry WS Michael Seales
Derek Campos WM Bryan Vera
Albert Tumenov WUD Scott Sigmon
Alexa Culp TKO1 Angelina Hoffschneider
Harry Gigliotti WS Jacob Thrall