Kubrat Pulev reportedly deported en route to Fury-Wilder fight

While two top heavyweights were busy duking it out Saturday night inside the ring, one contender found himself in the throes of the U.S. immigration system.

Kubrat Pulev, a longtime contender, was deported to his home country of Bulgaria after trying to board a flight from Chicago to Las Vegas to attend the rematch between Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder, which ended with Fury stopping Wilder in stunning fashion in the seventh round.

The Athletic first reported the news.

It’s not clear why Pulev (28-1, 14 KOs) was deported but it likely means he won’t be setting up training camp in the U.S. anytime soon. The Bulgarian, the mandatory challenger for one of Anthony Joshua’s titles, is tentatively slated to take on British star in June. The fight is expected to take place at either Wembley Stadium or the newly built Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

This is not the first time Pulev has made negative headlines. The boxer came under fire for kissing a female reporter without consent last summer.