Heavyweight contender Kubrat Pulev is from Bulgaria but has been based in Germany throughout his seven-year professional career and never fought in his home country. That will finally change Saturday.

Pulev is very excited to fight at the Arena Armeec in his hometown Sofia, Bulgaria, where he will take on former world titleholder Samuel Peter in a 12-round bout for a regional belt.

"This time everything is different for me," Pulev said at his public workout this week, where he was given a hero's welcome by the fans before going through the paces with famed German trainer Ulli Wegner. "Because this is my homeland, my hometown, the city I was born, and the city I grew up in. This is my nation, these are my people, and we share the same blood. It's a huge honor for me to have the chance to make this country proud and my countrymen happy with a great victory."

Pulev (23-1, 12 KOs) won his first 20 fights -- including notable victories against Tony Thompson, Alexander Ustinov and Alexander Dimitrenko -- to earn a mandatory title shot against then-world champion Wladimir Klitschko. They met in November 2014 and Klitschko obliterated him in a fifth-round knockout that was the ESPN.com Knockout of the Year.

Since that crushing loss, Pulev has won three bouts in a row, including a significant victory in his last bout, a split decision to win the vacant European title against Dereck Chisora in May.

In the 36-year-old Peter, Pulev will be facing a fighter with a big name, but one who many view as washed up.

At one time, Peter was viewed as the future of the heavyweight division, and in 2008, he knocked out Oleg Maskaev in the sixth round to win a world title. But Peter lost it in his first defense to Vitali Klitschko in a one-sided eighth-round knockout loss. Peter, who also has two losses to Wladimir Klitschko, has never been the same since.

Peter (36-5, 29 KOs), who is from Nigeria but has lived in Las Vegas for many years, walked away from boxing in 2011, following back-to-back knockout losses to Klitschko in their 2010 rematch and then to Robert Helenius.

Peter returned for one very-low-level win 2014 and also scored a low-level victory in Mexico last month in a tune-up fight ahead of the bout with Pulev.

Peter said he was in the right shape and frame of mind to secure his first meaningful win since beating Maskaev.

"I'm in good shape and I'm ready to fight," Peter said. "The plan is simple for me. I've come here to knock Pulev out and to take the (regional) belt and my money back home to Las Vegas."

On the undercard, 33-year-old Tervel Pulev, Kubrat's younger brother and a 2012 Olympic heavyweight bronze medalist, will make his professional debut against Tomislav Rudan (6-15-1, 2 KOs), 28, of Croatia.

"I would encourage my brother to train hard and follow his dreams," Kubrat Pulev said. "He is a good fighter and together we will make Saturday a great night for Bulgaria."