Pulev refers to Joshua's skin colour

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VIDEO SHOWS: HEAVYWEIGHT BOXER KUBRAT PULEV MENTIONING ANTHONY JOSHUA'S SKIN COLOUR AT NEWS CONFERENCE / FILE PHOTOS AND FOOTAGE OF JOSHUA AND PULEV

SHOWS:

SOFIA, BULGARIA (OCTOBER 14, 2020) (BGNES - NO ACCESS BULGARIA)

1. HEAVYWEIGHT BOXER, KUBRAT PULEV ARRIVING FOR NEWS CONFERENCE

2. (SOUNDBITE) (Bulgarian) HEAVYWEIGHT BOXER, KUBRAT PULEV, ON ANTHONY JOSHUA'S STRENGTHS, SAYING:

"I can say that he has a strong punch, no doubt. Other strengths? He has a better tan than me."

3. PULEV SIGNING BOXING GLOVES AFTER NEWS CONFERENCE

WATFORD, ENGLAND, UK (FILE - JUNE 6, 2020) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) (MUTE)

4. VARIOUS STILL PHOTOS SHOWING UNIFIED HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION DURING A BLACK LIVES MATTER PROTEST FOLLOWING THE DEATH OF GEORGE FLOYD

RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA (FILE - DECEMBER 3, 2019) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL)

5. VARIOUS OF JOSHUA TRAINING

6. PHOTOGRAPHERS

7. MORE OF JOSHUA

CARDIFF, WALES, UK (FILE - SEPTEMBER 11, 2017) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) (MUTE)

8. VARIOUS STILL PHOTOS SHOWING ANTHONY JOSHUA AND KUBRAT PULEV AHEAD OF THEIR FIGHT WHICH FELL THROUGH DUE TO SHOULDER INJURY PULEV SUSTAINED

COSTA MESA, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES (FILE - MARCH 23, 2019) (VEGASSPORTSDAILY.COM - MUST COURTESY VEGASSPORTSDAILY.COM. NO RESALES)

9. (SOUNDBITE) (English) REPORTER, JENNIFER RAVALO, SAYING:

RAVALO: "So, if Tyson Fury gets through Tom Schwartz, do you think you should have a shot?"

PULEV: "Yes." (PULEV THEN KISSES RAVALO)

RAVALO: "Alright, thank you. Jesus Christ."

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES (FILE - MAY 14, 2019) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL)

10. PULEV ARRIVING FOR HEARING OVER KISSING RAVALO

11. RAVALO THEN PULEV DURING HEARING

HAMBURG, GERMANY (FILE - NOVEMBER 14, 2014) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL)

12. PULEV ARRIVING FOR WEIGH IN AHEAD OF FIGHT AGAINST WLADIMIR KLITSCHKO

13. PULEV

14. VARIOUS OF PULEV ON SCALE WEIGHING IN

STORY: IBF mandatory challenger Kubrat Pulev referred to Anthony Joshua's skin colour at a news conference in Sofia on Wednesday (October 14).

The pair are reportedly set to fight in London on December 12 and when asked about Joshua's strengths, Pulev referenced that the heavyweight champion's tan was better.

"I can say that he has a strong punch, no doubt. Other strengths? He has a better tan than me."

Pulev and Joshua had been scheduled to meet on June 20 but the fight was postponed due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

An initial fight planned at Cardiff's Principality Stadium in October 2017 was also scheduled but the Bulgarian withdrew after suffering a shoulder injury in sparring.

Pulev, known as 'The Cobra', found himself in hot water in 2019 after kissing boxing reporter Jennifer Ravalo during an interview.

For that he had his licence suspended by the California State Athletic Commission but was reinstated after he took a sexual harassment prevention class.

Pulev did not respond to a request from Reuters for a comment.

(Production: Stefan Haskins)