NIKOLAI VALUEV
PROFILE AND BIO

- As at 21 September 2006 -

If being the tallest and heaviest heavyweight champion in history at 7 feet and 320 pounds were not enough to bring attention to undefeated Nikolai Valuev, one need only imagine the looks of disbelief from boxing experts and novices alike when "The Russian Giant" enters the ring not by the customary process of stepping through the ropes; he steps over them.

At the age of 20, Valuev fell in love with the sport of boxing almost immediately when he came to the attention of boxing trainer, Oleg Shalaev who wanted to turn the behemoth athlete into a boxer.

After less than 15 amateur bouts, Valuev turned professional.

Over the next ten years, Valuev never suffered a defeat and often scored knockouts in the early rounds. Regardless, few took him seriously.

Noted German promoter, Wilfried Sauerland signed Valuev to a promotional agreement in 2003.

"I told Niko that I thought he had been promoted as a circus act but he could be much more than this," Sauerland said. "He had spent his entire career never improving or progressing in the rankings because the people he was with did not believe he was a real fighter with ability.

"I was not thinking world titles at first but the ease with which he destroyed Paolo Vidoz for the WA European title made me think again."

Vidoz was an Italian Olympian, Italian heavyweight champion, and a legitimate heavyweight contender with a record of 17-1 when he faced Valuev in October 2004. Although Vidoz succumbed to Valuev via ninth-round technical knockout, he went on to win the European Boxing Union heavyweight championship.

Valuev then met American contender Gerald Nobles - at the time undefeated at 24-0 with wins over Bruce Seldon and Sedreck Fields. Nobles was so perplexed with the giant that he resorted to throwing low blows, which earned him point deductionsand and lead to his disqualification in the fourth.

Valuev faced another legitimate heavyweight contender in Attila "The Hun" Levin in February 2005. Levin was 29-2 when he faced Valuev with victories over Ray Austin and Ross Puritty. The giant made quick work of Levin with a third-round technical knockout.

The logical progression up the heavyweight ladder continued in May 2005 when Valuev faced Clifford "The Black Rhino" Etienne. He was highly touted at 29-3-2 after wins over future heavyweight champion Lamon Brewster and Lawrence Clay Bey, both of whom were undefeated prior to facing Etienne. In addition, Etienne's three losses prior to fighting Valuev came at the hands of "Iron" Mike Tyson, Fres Oquendo and Calvin Bock. He had also battled Francois Botha to a draw. Again, Valuev made quick work of his opponent, knocking him out in round three.

This earned the Russian a world title elimination bout to determine the No. 1 position in the WBA in October 2005, against Larry Donald, who was by far the slickest fighter Valuev had ever faced.

Donald gave the performance of his life against the Russian and stood toe to toe for 12 rounds against Valuev. The Russian's abilities had progressed to the point where he held his own in a match of boxing skills, no small feat for a 325-pound man. Valuev was seen as the majority decision victor in a very close fight.

It was one thing to have defeated Donald, but it would be another matter to defeat two-time and reigning WBA heavyweight king, John Ruiz in Valuev's first world title appearance. While Ruiz gave away the given height, weight and reach advantages to Valuev when they met in December 2005, Ruiz was still the betting favorite - he was after all entering his 10th world championship.

But Valuev's skills were improving and he had learned new techniques.

Ruiz promised to bring the fight to Valuev and that's just what he did in the beginning of the bout. He made his way inside and was effective with combinations, but Valuev remained patient and established his jab, which gave him the scorecard lead.

Ruiz sensed that he needed to rally, and he did with strong combinations in one of the better rounds of the fight, the seventh. All three judges gave that round to Ruiz, and all three judges agreed that Valuev was ahead by one point going into the eighth.

Valuev's trainer screamed at him to increase his intensity and Valuev worked his jab and also landed a solid right, which won him the round on all three cards and extended the Russian's lead to two points across the board.

Ruiz moved inside in the ninth and won the round on two scorecards while the third judge scored it a draw.

The tenth appeared to be an even round until Ruiz unloaded a right hand and promptly followed with another than may have been his best punches of the fight. Valuev answered with a right of his own with both fighters still throwing bombs at the bell.

Both fighters seemed to give what they had left in the final round of a hard-fought batle with two judges giving the round to Valuev. The other judge scored the final round a draw. Valuev had become the first Russian in history to win a heavyweight world championship.

"I worked 12 years for this moment, ... " Valuev said after th fight.

Now, Valuev found himself co-promoted by the powerful duo of Sauerland and Don King.

In his last appearance and first title defense, Valuev met American contender Owen Beck in June 2006. Beck attempted to make up for the 78 pounds and 10 inches he gave away in weight and height advantages by taking the fight directly to the champion on the inside during round one. Valuev responded by throwing brief effective combinations that quickly paid dividends in the form of space to throw more combinations.

Beck briefly landed a few body shots at the beginning of round two before being caught with a one-two combination that consisted of a left jab followed by a picture-perfect right hand that landed flush on Beck's jaw and sent him crumpling to the canvas.

The impressive combinations from Valuev continued in round three. Then the Russian giant unleashed 12 punches in a row before Beck leaned into a staggering right uppercut that vanquished Beck and sent him back to the mat. Beck beat the count on unsteady legs but the referee waved off the action later in the round.

Valuev said after the fight, "Now I will go to conquer America."

Ron Lewis of the Sunday Times of London wrote after the bout, "King has found his Kong."