Faster, Shorter, Stronger
Russia’s Nikolay Valuev has lost his WBA heavyweight title as he was outpointed Saturday night by Ruslan Chagaev who is almost one feet shorter and 100 pounds lighter.
Nikolay Valuev’s record dropped to 46-1, ending his bid to match Rocky Marciano’s 49-0 mark.
Uzbekistan’s Ruslan Chagaev, who calls himself “White Tyson”, did not try to hit up at the 7-foot Russian as opponents did in Valuev’s previous defenses. Instead, he lunged in, throwing flurries of punches and turning the fight in Stuttgart into a slugfest. That forced Valuev into the fight Chagaev’s team wanted. The big Russian attacked and the Uzbek countered.
“For everybody who said Nikolay was too big and heavy for me, well it’s not important that I am smaller now, is it?” Chagaev said after the bout he won in a majority decision.
Chagaev's only significant win before was a decision against John Ruiz. IBF champion Wladimir Klitschko, who is negotiating a unification fight with Valuev, was among those who gave the challenger little chance.
Chagaev was awarded the fight 117-111 and 115-113, with one judge calling it a draw.
“It was a great, great fight – better than anyone expected,” said Don King, Valuev’s promoter.
www.kommersant.com
All the Article in Russian as of Apr. 16, 2007
|
