Nikolai Valuev: The Russian Giant Who Disappeared from the Ring

On June 3, 2006, Nikolai Valuev defended the WBA heavyweight title for the first time.

Having weighed in nearly 80 pounds heavier than his opponent, American Owen Beck, Valuev powered his way to a quick win in Hannover, Germany.

After being floored in the previous round, Beck was knocked down for a second time in the third. While he managed to beat the count to continue, referee Luis Pabon soon had to step in to stop the punishment.

With the victory, Valuev moved to 43-0. He was making waves in the division, and not just because he was 7’0” tall.

When he had defeated John Ruiz for the first time to become WBA champion in 2005, the man from Saint Petersburg made boxing history. Not only was he the tallest-ever heavyweight champion, but he was also the heaviest.

Someone of such size and stature was a rarity in the ring. Heavyweights were big men, of course, but not that big.

But after the initial shock value, it turned out Valuev was not that fun to watch.

For starters, he was not going to have a career modelling after he finished in the ring. He had a furrowed brow, even when he wasn’t trying to look tough. Even his smiles seemed a little menacing, as if they were something he would do right before he inflicted pain.

While he had a shaven head, The Russian Giant (not the most imaginative of nicknames, it has to be said) was not so quick to remove the hair that covered his upper body. It was thick enough to be plaited.

Before facing him in 2009, David Haye said of Valuev, per the Guardian:

All you've got to do is look at a picture of the guy and that speaks volumes. I consider him more of a circus show freak that happens to be boxing. He's an ugly type of fighter, he tries to lean on you, tries to brawl and comes out with a really hairy chest that gets matted and is disgusting.

I've never been a big fan of the matted hair in my face. The size I am, I sort of come up to his chest and apparently the word around the campfire is that he doesn't smell too sweet.

I've talked to a few guys that have been in the ring with him and they say that's the first thing they notice, just the stench. Hopefully he runs a cold tap over himself or someone hoses him down outside before he comes in.

Valuev was not without some skill, though. In the same article, Haye admitted that his rival had “a very good and fast jab.”

The jab was his weapon of choice, understandably so considering he had a reach of 85”. He could work from a distance knowing that his opponents could do little to counter, considering they couldn't get close enough to land a punch.

There was an improvement over time in his skills.

Having lost his title initially to Ruslan Chagaev in 2007, Valuev met Ruiz again the following year for the vacant strap. He dominated to become a two-time world champion.

Gareth A. Davies noted in his fight report for the Telegraph that Valuev had “improved vastly since his first fistic encounter with Ruiz, in 2005, which he won, controversially on a majority points decision at the same venue."

The problem was, though, Valuev struggled to produce early finishes.

Although 34 of his 50 wins came by way of knockout, he went the distance in his final six bouts. For such a man-mountain, he lacked the power to put away opponents. It made, at times, for dour spectacles, as he plodded and poked his way to victories.

Ruiz twice lasted the full 12 rounds with him, as did Evander Holyfield at the age of 46. (In fact, many felt The Real Deal actually beat Valuev in 2008.)

His luck ran out, however, when he came up against Haye, a former cruiserweight world champion who used quick footwork and counters to earn a majority decision on the scorecards in Nuremburg, Germany.

And, just like that, the giant disappeared from the sport.

Nearly a year after losing to Haye, it was revealed a bone problem would keep him out of action for a considerable period of time.

Vitali Klitschko did try to tempt Valuev to make a return to the ring but eventually admitted defeat in 2012. The Ukrainian said of the potential showdown, per Keith Idec of BoxingScene.com:

He’s retired and doesn’t want to fight anymore. It’s a very interesting fight.

It would’ve been interesting to see where we [could] find sparring partners for this fight. I’m 6-7, but Nikolai Valuev is [7-foot].

I never fought against such a big fighter and this fight would be interesting for me, especially for all the audience … but I have bad news, because Nikolai doesn’t want to fight anymore because he decided to retire.

Just like the eldest Klitschko brother, Valuev swapped throwing punches for a career in politics.

He became a member of the United Russia party. It didn’t take him long to make a big impression—according to RT.com, he had to have a special chair made for him in parliament’s lower chamber.

That was the thing about Valuev: While his body was built to dominate, his brain wasn’t wired in the same way. He wrote poetry and was an avid reader, as he admitted to Jeff Powell of the Daily Mail.

It almost looked at times like he was a reluctant fighter, as if his size and stature meant it was the best route to take. He was active as a youngster, yet basketball—not boxing—was his sport of choice.

Vladimir Grachev, a coach in the boxing club where Valuev learned his trade, told Kim Murphy of the Los Angeles Times: "You have a person born with such a physique once in a hundred years. Such a build, and such an intellect—Russia may not get another such man in our lifetimes."

Valuev was certainly a one of a kind—a giant who didn’t want to stand out.