Kubrat Pulev has said he will donate half of his purse from the heavyweight title fight against Anthony Joshua to the fight against the coronavirus pandemic.
The 38-year-old Bulgarian was due to face IBF, WBA, WBO and IBO champion Joshua at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on June 20 before the fight was postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
When the two eventually face off in the ring, it has been reported Pulev will earn over £4 million (Dh18m) from the fight.
A new date has yet to be scheduled, but the fighter with a 28-1 record has vowed to make a donation to help fight the spread of the disease.
"I donate 50 per cent to the tireless heroes in the fight against coronavirus," he told German newspaper Bild. "To nurses, hospitals and for the purchase of state-of-the-art medical equipment in the fight against the devilish virus."
Pulev's only career defeat came to then heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko in 2014.
Joshua, meanwhile, reclaimed his three world titles plus the IBO strap after his comfortable points win over Andy Ruiz Jr in Saudi Arabia in December having lost the belts in a sensational stoppage loss to the Mexican-American in New York last June.
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What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
