Bulgarian heavyweight boxer Kubrat Pulev had distinguished himself by knocking out Bogdan Dinu in Las Vegas on Saturday night, his 27th victory in his 28th professional fight. What was to follow was less glorious.

He was interviewed by Vegas Sports Daily reporter Jennifer Ravalo after the bout. At the end of the interview Ravalo asked Pulev if he deserves a shot at Britain’s former heavyweight world champion Tyson Fury. The 37-year-old responded with a firm “Yes”, before forcibly kissing Ravalo on the lips and walking off camera. Ravalo was later asked about the incident on Twitter and said it was “embarrassing” and “strange”.

Saturday’s events had echoes of an interview the 2017 French Open. In that incident, French tennis player Maxime Hamou was banished from the tournament after he attempted to forcibly kiss a female reporter during a live TV interview.

The Guardian