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Valuev defended his title in a fight with Holyfield (20 photos)
Russian boxer Nikolai Valuev defeated the American Evander Holyfield in a match for the title of world champion under version WBA (World Boxing Association) heavyweight champion, held in Zurich, Switzerland on December 21.
Winning dvenadtsatiraundovom fight Valuev was awarded points for a majority decision of judges (114: 114, 116: 112, 115: 112). Thus, the Russian athlete defended his championship title.
Note that before the fight Valuev, who is 40 kilograms heavier and 30 centimeters above Holyfield was considered the favorite. Many experts have suggested that the 46-year-old Holyfield, whose highest achievements in sport were in the 1990s, generally can not provide decent resistance Valuev.
Russian will next fight in the summer of 2009 with Uzbek Ruslan Chagaev, have the status of "temporarily inactive champion» WBA.
35-year-old Russian heavyweight Nikolai Valuev retained the title of interim champion of the world by the WBA, won Saturday night in Zurich, the former undisputed world champion 46-year-old American Evander Holyfield. Their duel that lasted 12 rounds, the judges evaluated ambiguously: two (Italian and Swedish), respectively, gave the victory to the Russian citizen with a score of 116: 112 and 115: 114, and the third (Panamanian) recorded a draw 114: 114. This is the 50th victory of Valuev he spent 52 fights in the professional ring (one result in 1999 was canceled). However, the Holyfield for which this fight was the 54th of his career, his team and representatives expressed their disagreement with the decision, asking a rematch.
Once this fight is not called the day before: and a "farce" and "freak show" and a "disaster for boxing," and "the fight with Holyfield's shadow." And got "a nut" to both participants. "It's a pity to watch as the once great fighter Holyfield turns into a punching bag for the ordinary rivals" - did not hide his disappointment consent Americans withdraw against Valuev world champion by the WBC Ukrainian Vitali Klitschko. In the same spirit he spoke and the manager of the legendary British champion Lennox Lewis Frank Maloney (worked, by the way, once and Valuev). "Depressing impression aging Holyfield, trying to regain the championship title - he said in an interview with a British newspaper. - Evander was one of the best heavyweights of the world, and now rolled up fights with ordinary boxers from which also defeated. I do not know why he needs it? »
Indeed, over the past seven years, Holyfield, which account for a victory over Mike Tyson, Michael Moorer, Riddick Bowe, George Foreman, Larry Holmes and other "great and terrible", lost in five battles of 11 spent (defeat against Valuev was the sixth) . Not the best, you see, the end of a career for a boxer who once two years was the best heavyweight in the world by WBC, WBA and IBF. Not by chance in fact born in the US joke that the last three years but President George W. Bush to hear more appeals to retire than Evander Holyfield.
It is not difficult to imagine in this connection, what kind of reaction at home 46-year-old boxer has caused his desire to become the oldest world champion in the heavyweight (record presently belongs to George Foreman, won two belt in 45 years). There, mindful of past failures Holyfield, considered that the outcome of the forthcoming battle in Zurich as predictable as a fight with Godzilla fawn Bambi. Hence, the low level of interest in him. On live television on America managed to agree only ten days before the beginning of the match, and that was not at that price, which was calculated by the organizers. To watch the fight, had to pay less than $ 25. When this has been in fights with Holyfield?
Eleven years difference in age, 44 kilograms - the weight (a record, by the way, in the history of professional boxing, for comparison, the difference between a boxer flyweight and heavyweight is about 42 kg), the coefficients of betting rates - all on the side of Valuev, except ... the psychological comfort. Deprived of choice opponents, our boxer was forced to agree to this fight, knowing that his victory would regard as a tribute (think of it, "the old man" beat), but defeat no one forgive, despite the fact that Holyfield, anyway, and in this age of one of the twenty strongest heavyweight in the world. So Nicholas had one thing: winning and convincing as possible. Alas, the task was to perform only half: the championship belt retained, but questioned his victory planted not only referee from Panama, but in 12, 5 thousand. Audience filled Hallestadion in Zurich. Judicial verdict voiced by the famous Michael Buffer, they met a deafening whistle that during the execution of the national anthem in honor of the winner, though abated, but still did not stop.
This is not the first fight with Nicholas, when the day before he and his team have assured their fans that this time they will see in the ring, "Valuev's completely different," that a lot of work to improve the speed of preparation and formulation of highly concentrated impact. In fact, we see a former Russian Giant with sluggish lethargic and unintelligible blows, pulls fight solely by its own dimensions. So it was on Saturday. In all honesty it must be admitted that the first half of the fight our boxer lost, including, oddly enough, in the rate. And only when, they say, the smell of fried, activated and managed to turn the tide of battle.
Not waiting for a victory by the Russian fans of Nicholas, who disappointed them even more with his statement after the final bell that his opponent surprised him with speed training. Why then, I ask, ready? I do not see how Holyfield was good in the past year in the fight against Sultan Ibragimov?
"Of course, I am disappointed with the judge's decision - announced after the tenth defeat in a career American - but at the same time, I have nothing to reproach, as did all in the ring for the victory».
Asked to compare Valuev with his previous opponents such as Holmes, Bowie or Foreman, Evander indulgently smiled and replied, "Nikolai great guy and a good fighter, but he still does not have much experience».
Commented this fight at the request of the correspondent of "Time of news" and world champion, the first number in the WBO rankings heavyweight Alexander Alexeyev, "Valuev was not ready for such an excellent physical shape Holyfield, - he said. - The rate however was short, so I wonder why Kolya is not inflated it, losing speed and precision strikes. Before the sixth round he generally never hit the opponent's head. Just outcome was, in my opinion, the draw ».
© Boris Valiev
Winning dvenadtsatiraundovom fight Valuev was awarded points for a majority decision of judges (114: 114, 116: 112, 115: 112). Thus, the Russian athlete defended his championship title.
Note that before the fight Valuev, who is 40 kilograms heavier and 30 centimeters above Holyfield was considered the favorite. Many experts have suggested that the 46-year-old Holyfield, whose highest achievements in sport were in the 1990s, generally can not provide decent resistance Valuev.
Russian will next fight in the summer of 2009 with Uzbek Ruslan Chagaev, have the status of "temporarily inactive champion» WBA.
35-year-old Russian heavyweight Nikolai Valuev retained the title of interim champion of the world by the WBA, won Saturday night in Zurich, the former undisputed world champion 46-year-old American Evander Holyfield. Their duel that lasted 12 rounds, the judges evaluated ambiguously: two (Italian and Swedish), respectively, gave the victory to the Russian citizen with a score of 116: 112 and 115: 114, and the third (Panamanian) recorded a draw 114: 114. This is the 50th victory of Valuev he spent 52 fights in the professional ring (one result in 1999 was canceled). However, the Holyfield for which this fight was the 54th of his career, his team and representatives expressed their disagreement with the decision, asking a rematch.
Once this fight is not called the day before: and a "farce" and "freak show" and a "disaster for boxing," and "the fight with Holyfield's shadow." And got "a nut" to both participants. "It's a pity to watch as the once great fighter Holyfield turns into a punching bag for the ordinary rivals" - did not hide his disappointment consent Americans withdraw against Valuev world champion by the WBC Ukrainian Vitali Klitschko. In the same spirit he spoke and the manager of the legendary British champion Lennox Lewis Frank Maloney (worked, by the way, once and Valuev). "Depressing impression aging Holyfield, trying to regain the championship title - he said in an interview with a British newspaper. - Evander was one of the best heavyweights of the world, and now rolled up fights with ordinary boxers from which also defeated. I do not know why he needs it? »
Indeed, over the past seven years, Holyfield, which account for a victory over Mike Tyson, Michael Moorer, Riddick Bowe, George Foreman, Larry Holmes and other "great and terrible", lost in five battles of 11 spent (defeat against Valuev was the sixth) . Not the best, you see, the end of a career for a boxer who once two years was the best heavyweight in the world by WBC, WBA and IBF. Not by chance in fact born in the US joke that the last three years but President George W. Bush to hear more appeals to retire than Evander Holyfield.
It is not difficult to imagine in this connection, what kind of reaction at home 46-year-old boxer has caused his desire to become the oldest world champion in the heavyweight (record presently belongs to George Foreman, won two belt in 45 years). There, mindful of past failures Holyfield, considered that the outcome of the forthcoming battle in Zurich as predictable as a fight with Godzilla fawn Bambi. Hence, the low level of interest in him. On live television on America managed to agree only ten days before the beginning of the match, and that was not at that price, which was calculated by the organizers. To watch the fight, had to pay less than $ 25. When this has been in fights with Holyfield?
Eleven years difference in age, 44 kilograms - the weight (a record, by the way, in the history of professional boxing, for comparison, the difference between a boxer flyweight and heavyweight is about 42 kg), the coefficients of betting rates - all on the side of Valuev, except ... the psychological comfort. Deprived of choice opponents, our boxer was forced to agree to this fight, knowing that his victory would regard as a tribute (think of it, "the old man" beat), but defeat no one forgive, despite the fact that Holyfield, anyway, and in this age of one of the twenty strongest heavyweight in the world. So Nicholas had one thing: winning and convincing as possible. Alas, the task was to perform only half: the championship belt retained, but questioned his victory planted not only referee from Panama, but in 12, 5 thousand. Audience filled Hallestadion in Zurich. Judicial verdict voiced by the famous Michael Buffer, they met a deafening whistle that during the execution of the national anthem in honor of the winner, though abated, but still did not stop.
This is not the first fight with Nicholas, when the day before he and his team have assured their fans that this time they will see in the ring, "Valuev's completely different," that a lot of work to improve the speed of preparation and formulation of highly concentrated impact. In fact, we see a former Russian Giant with sluggish lethargic and unintelligible blows, pulls fight solely by its own dimensions. So it was on Saturday. In all honesty it must be admitted that the first half of the fight our boxer lost, including, oddly enough, in the rate. And only when, they say, the smell of fried, activated and managed to turn the tide of battle.
Not waiting for a victory by the Russian fans of Nicholas, who disappointed them even more with his statement after the final bell that his opponent surprised him with speed training. Why then, I ask, ready? I do not see how Holyfield was good in the past year in the fight against Sultan Ibragimov?
"Of course, I am disappointed with the judge's decision - announced after the tenth defeat in a career American - but at the same time, I have nothing to reproach, as did all in the ring for the victory».
Asked to compare Valuev with his previous opponents such as Holmes, Bowie or Foreman, Evander indulgently smiled and replied, "Nikolai great guy and a good fighter, but he still does not have much experience».
Commented this fight at the request of the correspondent of "Time of news" and world champion, the first number in the WBO rankings heavyweight Alexander Alexeyev, "Valuev was not ready for such an excellent physical shape Holyfield, - he said. - The rate however was short, so I wonder why Kolya is not inflated it, losing speed and precision strikes. Before the sixth round he generally never hit the opponent's head. Just outcome was, in my opinion, the draw ».
© Boris Valiev
