ANTHONY JOSHUA’S next opponent Kubrat Pulev is locked in an extraordinary row — over a £600 training camp bill.
Bulgarian slugger Pulev stands to bank millions from his IBF, WBA, IBO and WBO heavyweight title showdown with Joshua at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on June 20.
Kubrat Pulev is locked in a row over an unpaid training camp bill worth just £600Credit: Instagram @andreabulgaria
The Bulgarian heavyweight stands to make millions from his fight with Anthony Joshua
But the 38-year-old “Cobra” from Sofia is accused of not paying up the relative pittance for his stay at a notorious training camp.
The Belmeken National High Mountain Training Complex is infamous for its links with East Germany’s drug cheat athletes in the 70s and 80s.
And Pulev has slammed chiefs over the standards at the facility which is 100 miles south of the Bulgarian capital, claiming it was “almost a ruin”.
The centre’s head coach Ilian Pishtikov hit back and accused Pulev of acting like a spoiled and petulant child — and failing to settle up.
Pishtikov said: “Kubrat has many pretensions. He tells us he doesn’t like the apples, so we rush to the town to buy new, fresh apples.
“Then he wants to eat salmon. And we try to find salmon.
“We gave him an apartment, the guest room, which is normally reserved for the sports minister when he visits us here.
“That would normally cost £67 per night but we listed it as a single room for a reduced rate. Now he owes us.”
Pulev has become a magnet for controversy and not only in his homeland.
The Bulgarian recently became embroiled in a US immigration row.
He was sent back home after arriving in the country on a tourist visa when he was supposed to have a business version last month.
His swift exit meant he was unable to watch Tyson Fury’s destruction of Deontay Wilder.
But despite his pre-fight distractions Pulev is sure he will end odds-on favourite Joshua’s second reign as champ.
Pulev will fight Joshua at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on June 20Credit: Getty Images – Getty
With Amir Khan’s former coach, American Joe Goossen, in his corner, Pulev said: “When I look at this fight I know that it is 60-40 in my favour.
“Joshua should be afraid. I will knock Joshua out, either in the ninth round or the tenth.
“Money is not important. There is a guaranteed sum, but everything could be double and triple, depending on the pay-per-view income.
“We have agreed to keep the sums confidential. But I don’t care about the money, I want to step win for Bulgaria.”
Anthony Joshua to face Kubrat Pulev on June 20 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk
