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Steve KimESPN
Heavyweight Bogdan Dinu, who was stopped in seven rounds by Kubrat Pulev on March 23 in Costa Mesa, California, has filed a protest with the California State Athletic Commission after he was struck in the back of the head by Pulev following a knockdown.
Pulev was penalized a point by referee Raul Caiz Jr. for the flagrant foul, which came while Dinu was down early in the seventh round.
Dinu was given five minutes to recover. As the action resumed, Dinu was knocked down twice more before the bout was waived off.
“After the fight, I sat down with Dinu and his team and we contacted the California commission and we have officially filed protest papers and requested a hearing before the California commission,” Dinu’s promoter, Greg Cohen, said.
CSAC executive director Andy Foster confirmed to ESPN that the commission is granting the request at its next meeting, which is scheduled to take place in mid-May.
In the aftermath of the fight, Pulev was the center of a great deal of controversy after he forcibly kissed a female reporter on camera; the reporter has since filed a lawsuit against him. The CSAC has placed Pulev under suspension and has requested that he appear before it in May.
“He don’t have to come,” said Foster, who added, “he’ll just remain suspended till he does.”