Gloria Allred, who has been hired to represent the reporter, charecterized the incident as ‘sexual assault’ and called for Pulev to lose his boxing license.
After defeating Bogdan Dinu via knockout at The Hangar in Costa Mesa, CA last weekend Bulgarian heavyweight boxing contender Kubrat Pulev did something unexpected to completely overshadow his victory.
After the fight, Pulev spoke with with Vegas Sports Daily reporter Jennifer Ravalo backstage. At the end of their videotaped interview Pulev clasped a hand around Ravalo’s chin and planted a kiss on her lips.
Pulev later defended his actions, stating he and Ravalo were friends and that they laughed about the incident later. However, at a press conference yesterday Ravalo strongly denied Pulev’s account. Video of the press conference is available below via TMZ Sports.
At the press conference, Ravalo was joined by Gloria Allred. The famed attorney has represented numerous individuals who have accused prominent people of sexual misconduct. Some of Allred’s recent cases include representing 28 women who accused Bill Cosby of sexual assault and harassment and three women who accused U.S. President Donald Trump of sexual misconduct.
During the press conference Ravalo read a short statement in which she claimed Pulev also groped her backside after the forced kiss. Ravalo stated she did not consent to any of these actions. Ravalo also claimed that Pulev asked her to delete footage of the kiss, which she refused to do.
Allred also read a statement. She asked the California State Athletic Commission (CSAC) to pull Pulev’s boxing license and conduct an investigation into what she defined as ‘sexual assault.’
The day after the press conference ,CSAC suspended Pulev’s license (per BBC Sport). CSAC Deputy Director of Communications Veronica Harris spoke to Boxing Scene about the situation, stating: “The Claifornia State Athletic Commission is committed to sanctioning events where people of all gender identities are respected as competitors, reports, and fans. We take this incident seriously.”
Harris added that Pulev will not be licensed to fight in California gain unless he appears before the commission to “demonstrate that he will conform to this principle of respect.”
The next CSAC hearing is scheduled for May 14th. Ravalo plans to attend the hearing if Pulev’s license status is placed on the commission’s agenda. If Pulev, who’s the IBF mandatory challenger for current champion Anthony Joshua, is de-licensed by CSAC, it could affect his ability to fight elsewhere in the US or in other jurisdictions under the auspices of the Association of Boxing Commissions (ABC).