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Kubrat Pulev has caused outrage after kissing a reporter on the lips during his post-fight interview.
The Bulgarian heavyweight, who was once set to fight Anthony Joshua, before pulling out injured, fought Bogdan Dinu in Los Angeles on Saturday.
The 37-year-old secured an impressive knockout win against the Romanian, keeping him in line to challenge for a world title again, perhaps against Joshua, given his No 1 ranking with the IBF.
Pulev discussed the action-packed fight, which saw him cut by Dinu with a punch, and the damage was clearly visible afterwards when being interviewed by reporter Jenny SuShe.
Pulev was asked by SuShe, who was covering the fight for Vegas Sports Daily, whether he deserved a shot at Tyson Fury, who is also promoted by Top Rank in the United States.
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He replied, “yes,” before grabbing SuShe on her face and planting a kiss on her lips.
SuShe, who posted a picture of herself with Pulev after the fight on social media, told news.com.au that the incident was “(a little) embarrassing” and “strange.”
He was only ahead on one card heading into the seventh round, with the other two judges having the fight a draw.
But three knockdowns, including a point deduction for Pulev after hitting his opponent while he was down, eventually saw Dinu dispatched.
It is Pulev's seventh successive win since being knocked out by Wladimir Klitschko in 2014.
Meanwhile, Fury has announced he will next face little-known Tom Schwarz as his next opponent after failing to make the rematch with Deontay Wilder for the WBC world title.
Fury will likely face Schwarz in Las Vegas on June 15, two weeks after Joshua defends his belts against Miller at Madison Square Garden, New York.
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