Pulev beats Chisora to close in on Anthony Joshua title shot

Nick Parkinson - espn.go.com

  Oliver Hardt/Bongarts/Getty Images

Kubrat Pulev moved a step closer to an IBF world heavyweight title shot against Anthony Joshua after he defeated Dereck Chisora via a split points decision for the European heavyweight title on Saturday.

The Bulgarian defeated Joshua's fellow Briton Chisora by scores of 116-112 and 118-110 to 115-113 in a clash between two former world title challengers at the Barclaycard Arena in Hamburg, Germany.

Pulev is now one win away from securing a shot at the IBF crown after a tidy and efficient boxing display that should have earned him a unanimous victory.

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Kubrat Pulev outpoints Dereck Chisora

Tom Gray - ringtv.craveonline.com

Bulgarian heavyweight force Kubrat Pulev returned to action with a 12-round split decision win over the volatile Dereck Chisora in Hamburg, Germany, on Saturday, and picked up the vacant European championship. The official tallies were 118-110, 116-112 for Pulev with the third judge inexplicably scoring the bout 115-113 to the Englishman.

In a bout that suddenly became eagerly anticipated due to Chisora’s explosive pre-fight behavior, Pulev (23-1, 12 KOs) proved to be the superior fighter in the ring.

The jab and right hand found the mark early and although Chisora bobbed and weaved well, his potentially damaging hooks and overhand rights were mostly out of range.

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