Bulgarian boxer Kubrat Pulev has called the moment he forcibly kissed a female reporter on the lips in a post-fight interview something between "friends" and refused to apologise.
Pulev’s actions have been criticised by people online who called the unsolicited contact "sexual assault." He grabbed reporter Jenny SuShe and kissed her on the lips as they spoke about his knockout victory over Bogdan Dinu in Los Angeles on Saturday.
He didn’t apologise for the incident that SuShe told news.com.au was “[a] lil embarrassing” and “strange.”
The 37-year-old boxer said they were friends and, and that they laughed about the incident.
“You may have seen a clip of me kissing a female reporter following an interview after I won my fight Saturday night,” Pulev said wrote in a statement.
For the most commented kiss in the world! https://t.co/T1Ktlprff4— Kubrat Pulev (@Kubrat Pulev) 1553571363
He added: "The reporter, Jenny, is actually a friend of mine, and after the interview, I was so elated, I gave her a kiss."
Later that night, she joined me and my other friends at my post-fight celebration. On the video, after our kiss, we both laughed about it and thanked each other. There really is nothing more to this.
People online didn't accept his non-apology
@KubratPulev "... Jenny sushe was the victim of an unwanted, unexpected and unsolicited forceful kiss by Kubrat Pul… https://t.co/rPJKw7DpTu— Consent Games: an innovative & effective approach (@Consent Games: an innovative & effective approach) 1553605020
@ChrisLloydTV 100% Sexual Assault!— Ashley Theophane (@Ashley Theophane) 1553512156
And slammed some boxing fans who praised his "Alpha" behaviour
This is not 'Alpha as f***', it's called sexual assault. This woman responds in the way too many women have to when… https://t.co/kzlt0CfRFE— Chris Lloyd (@Chris Lloyd) 1553466655
@ChrisLloydTV @emilyboxing The same kinda guy that thinks this is "alpha" is the same kinda guy that would get mad… https://t.co/EVhacOuCrB— N J N🗽B 🥊🔥 (@N J N🗽B 🥊🔥) 1553527511
@NickyB4Prez @emilyboxing Agreed. Not one woman has jumped to his defence on this thread. It's 2019 and men still t… https://t.co/qPh2VCislc— Chris Lloyd (@Chris Lloyd) 1553528365
Earlier this month a CBC journalist filed a police complaint after a comedian licked his neck while he was reporting on a comedy event in Toronto.
Boyd Banks, who licked Chris Glover, had apologised for his actions and called himself an “idiot."