Account
Jennifer Ravalo Takes Legal Action Against Kubrat Pulev After Post-Fight Kiss
March 29, 2019
Vegas Sports Daily reporter Jennifer Ravalo has begun legal proceedings against heavyweight boxer Kubrat Pulev after he kissed her on the lips without her consent during a post-fight interview.
Ravalo, who said Pulev also grabbed her buttocks after the interview on March 23, spoke at a news conference on Thursday alongside her lawyer, women's rights attorney Gloria Allred:
Per Sky News, Ravalo said:
"I started the interview and mid-interview he grabbed my face and kissed me.
"I was immediately shocked and embarrassed and I did not know how to respond.
"Next I walked to a table to put my items in my backpack.
"He grabbed both of my buttocks and squeezed with both of his hands, then he walked away without saying anything to me and laughed."
Ravalo spoke to Pulev after he beat Bogdan Dinu via knockout at The Hangar in Costa Mesa, California, on Saturday.
She shared footage of her interview with the Bulgarian, who ended the conversation when he grabbed and kissed her:
Pulev put out a statement on social media afterwards saying the pair were friends:
However, Ravalo refuted that and said she met the 37-year-old for the first time at the weigh-in the day before his fight with Dinu, when she conducted a pre-fight interview with him.
She added:
"It made me feel uncomfortable and frustrated that Kubrat Pulev would treat me in such an unprofessional manner.
"I did not encourage or consent to Mr Pulev grabbing my face, kissing me, or grabbing my backside.
"I was there at the event covering the boxing match as a professional member of the press.
"Kissing a woman on the lips without her consent and grabbing her is not acceptable."
Following the interview, Ravalo attended an after-party to speak to more fighters.
Pulev, she said, did not arrive at the party "until the very end." Having initially "acted like nothing happened," Ravalo said he later "asked me to remove the kiss from the interview."
The reporter chose not to do so because she wanted him to be "accountable" for his actions.
Vegas Sports Daily released a statement in support of Ravalo and her pursuit of "appropriate disciplinary action" against Pulev from both the State of California and the World Boxing Association.
"What he did to me was disgusting, I felt humiliated," Ravalo said. "No woman should be treated this way."