Wladimir Klitschko vs. Kubrat Pulev Results: HBO Boxing Play-by-Play

Wladimir Klitschko vs. Kubrat Pulev

Round 1

Both fighters are in the cage and the National anthems are being performed. We'll be kicking off very shortly. Referee Tony Weeks will oversee the action. Klitschko clinches with Pulev immediately. The fighters separate and Weeks warns both for rough play early. Pulev clips Klitschko with a jab and a right hand. Klitschko gets to work with his jab. Pulev jabs twice to the body but he looks tight and uncomfortable. A left hook drops Pulev and he’s hurt. He gets back up only to be dropped again by a hard left straight. Pulev is on wobbly legs. Klitschko is calm, as he jabs and throws a sharp right behind it. Weeks separates the fighters again. Huge opening frame for Klitschko. 10-7 Klitschko.

Round 2

Klitschko throws a lazy straight let to the body. Pulev is shaken from the bad start. The fighters paw leather at each other and referee Weeks pulls them apart. Klitschko leans in and seems content to bide his time. The fighters continue to nervously paw hands at each other. Neither fighter has opened up with his hands at the 2:15 mark of round two. Klitschko connects with a straight left to the body and his opponent ties him up. Pulev lands a right hook to the temple from the clinch. 10-9 Klitschko.

Round 3

Klitschko takes the center of the ring and continues to play the game of paddy cake with Pulev. Klitschko headlocks his opponent and Weeks again pries them apart. Pulev, the larger man in the ring, seems to be growing in confidence as he looks loose. Perhaps too loose, as Klitschko rocks him with a straight right. Somehow Pulev stays on his feet. But not for long, as Klitschko floors him with a glancing left hook. Pulev rises to his feet and he ties up with the champion. Weeks again pulls them apart. Pulev is hurt. 10-8 Klitschko.

Round 4

Klitschko is hit with a Pulev right to open the fourth frame. The shot was hard and accurate, but Klitschko is no less for the wear. Klitschko bounces around with his guard high. Klitschko looks good as he works levels with his straight left: first to the head and then an absolute laser to the midsection. Referee Weeks is earning his keep as he pries the fighters apart continuously. Klitschko lands some right hooks to the body from the clinch. Pulev refuses to fight from distance as he moves in to clinch over and over again. A solid left hook connects for Klitschko. A jab scores for the champion at the bell. 10-9 Klitschko.

Round 5

Klitschko lands a left hook. Pulev returns the favor with a left hook of his own. The pace slows to a crawl as we’ve got a clinch fest in Hamburg, Germany. Referee Weeks is probably the most active man in the ring midway through round five. Pulev then gets absolutely blindsided with a fight-ending left hook. Pulev is out cold. No count is needed.

The Official Result

Wladimir Klitschko Def. Kubrat Pulev Knockout (Left Hook) R5 2:11