Sports

Sports body hands decision vs ‘kissing Cobra’

The California State Athletic Commission has ordered the suspension of Bulgarian heavyweight contender Kubrat Pulev, also known as “The Cobra,” till July for grabbing and kissing Filipino-American reporter Jennifer Ravalo during a live post-fight interview back in April.

Pulev was also ordered to pay a $2,500 fine for him to fight again in California.

In a match last March in in Costa Mesa, California, Pulev knocked out Romanian boxer Bogdan Dinu. Ravalo interviewed Pulev right after the fight.

Pulev then grabbed Ravalo and kissed her in the middle of the interview.

In a tearful testimony, Ravalo said Pulev also allegedly grabbed her buttocks off-camera. Pulev had not apologized in the two months since the incident.

Pulev also asked Ravalo to remove the video of their kiss from the interview.

“I did not remove it and instead posted it because I wanted people to see what he had done to me. I wanted him to be accountable,” Ravalo said in a statement.

Pulev finally apologized during the hearing attended by his girlfriend, Bulgarian pop star Andrea.

His lawyers said the boxer was just caught up in the moment and “didn’t have his wits about him” when he kissed Ravalo. (Photo: The Independent)

Staff Report

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