Former heavyweight title challenger Kubrat Pulev faces off against former cruiserweight champion Murat Gassiev this weekend in Dubai, with the winner in prime position for a future shot at a heavyweight title.
Gassiev is a heavy favorite in the latest boxing odds, and my Pulev vs. Gassiev predictions and free betting picks for December 12 are siding with him.
Pulev vs Gassiev prediction and pick
- My fight prediction: Gassiev moneyline (-320 at DraftKings)
- My best bet: Gassiev by decision (+230 at FanDuel)
Fight analysis
The fact that Kubrat Pulev is still functioning as a fringe heavyweight contender at 44 says a lot about how disciplined, durable, and technically sound he remains. He's no longer a threat to the upper tier of the division, but he continues to hover around that serviceable gatekeeper status.
To keep his standing as the serviceable elder statesman, he'll need to beat former cruiserweight champion Murat Gassiev, who would be picking up the most meaningful win of his heavyweight career.
Gassiev was a former cruiserweight champion and division standout, but like many cruiserweights before him who jumped to heavyweight, he's having trouble finding his place among the big men. The former unified cruiserweight champion demonstrated destructive punching power before losing to Oleksandr Usyk, and he has shown flashes of that power at heavyweight.
His 5-1 run in the division includes five knockouts, but the loss to Otto Wallin was more telling than the wins, as Gassiev went long stretches without throwing punches and couldn’t pin Wallin down.
Pulev must frustrate him the way Wallin did, but the difference here is that Pulev is aging out of the physicality required to sustain that type of performance.
At 44, his legs are gone, and his movement has slowed. While his jab remains effective, the lack of a threat from what comes after it won’t give Gassiev pause. Gassiev, nearly 12 years younger, is likely to be the stronger man in clinches, the faster to the punch, and the more dangerous whenever he closes the distance.
While Gassiev is likely to going to be another great cruiserweight that ended up as a middling heavyweight, that won't be decided by the aged and slowing hands of Pulev. Gassiev won't struggle against Pulev and will be able to control the outside, darting in to look for a power shot, and retreat without much trouble. Gassiev is the pick.
Best best analysis
Pulev has only been stopped twice in his career, and that was against closer-to-their-prime versions of Wladimir Klitschko and Anthony Joshua. Even at 44, he’s still a hard man to crack clean.
Gassiev has the potential to score a late stoppage, but Pulev’s durability and guile should ensure he survives to see the scorecards.
Kubrat Pulev vs Murat Gassiev odds
| Method of victory | Kubrat Pulev | Murat Gassiev |
|---|---|---|
| Win outright | +260 | -380 |
| Win by KO/TKO | +500 | -105 |
| Win by points or decision | +550 | +230 |
| Draw | +1500 | +1500 |
Odds courtesy of FanDuel as of December 12.
Kubrat Pulev vs Murat Gassiev tale of the tape
| Pulev | Gassiev | |
|---|---|---|
| 44 | Age | 32 |
| 6-foot-4 | Height | 6-foot-2 |
| Heavyweight | Weight Class | Heavyweight |
| 79 inches | Reach | 76 inches |
| 32-3 | Record | 32-2 |
| 14 | Wins by KO | 25 |
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
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