Kubrat Pulev talked a big game going into his bout against Anthony Joshua.The 39-year-old was the underdog going into the heavyweight title clash but he was still very confident.In Friday's weigh-in, he promised Joshua that he would 'show him' during Saturday evening's fight at Wembley.But he was thoroughly outclassed as he succumbed to defeat in round nine.The stoppage could have been even earlier, though.The Bulgarian was on the ropes in round three and he turned his back on Joshua and ran to his corner to protect himself.Watch the moment below:

It was a bizarre moment and one that was criticised by boxing fans.

And rightly so; Pulev simply couldn't handle AJ and he almost ran away to avoid taking any more damage.

Dillian Whyte was ringside to watch his old rival in action. And he slated Pulev for his actions in the third round.

"He quit. He ran into his corner. The referee should've stopped the fight there and then," he said, per the Sun.

Whyte reserved some praise for Joshua, but noted he should have finished Pulev off sooner.

“Good win, decent performance, good knockout," he told iFTV, per talkSPORT.

Anthony Joshua beat Kubrat Pulev

“Strange performance, it seems that he was stuck between two or three different styles.

“He’s got three different trainers in his camp, I don’t understand what’s going on there.

“But he got the victory so you can’t really complain.”

“I don’t know why he let Pulev back in the fight.

“He should’ve just destroyed him, I don’t know why he let him back in the fight.

Whyte then criticised Pulev some more, claiming he was well beaten by the Englishman on the night.

“I thought Pulev was gone. Pulev didn’t pose much of a threat really, did he?

“He’s not the hardest hitter. There wasn’t any risk of him knocking Joshua out, was there?

“I didn’t have him winning a round, he lost every round.

“He [AJ] got the job done in great fashion. When the KO came it came good, but I think he could’ve done it a lot quicker.

“He seemed to be in that negative zone. It was a strange performance.”

Whyte will hope to fight Joshua in the near future. But, before he can get a crack at his long-time rival, he will have to defeat Alexander Povetkin in their rematch.