Giant 7ft tall boxer Nikolai Valuev forges new career after losing to David Haye… as a children’s TV presenter
The Russian heavyweight nicknamed the Beast from the East now presents a show called Good Night, Little Ones
FORMER boxer Nikolai Valuev, known as the Beast from the East and the Russian Giant, has started a new job – as a children's TV host.
Seven feet tall Valuev, 42, is a two-time WBA heavyweight champion who retired after fighting David Haye in 2009 putting an end to a career spanning 16 years.
But despite his appearance, it has not stopped him from being signed up to work as the children's TV host on the popular kids program "Spokoynoy nochi, malyshi!" (translated as Good Night, Little Ones).
Announcing the new job, he told his fans online: "I could not even imagine when I was a kid that someday I would become a host on my favourite kid's TV show. So have a Good Night, Little Ones!"
The programme has been a mainstay of Russian children's television since it first launched in 1964.
Valuev also has another job as a politician but said that he was committed to working as a presenter on the show, attracting amazed comments from his fans.
Most thought it was come kind of joke pointing out that the boxer was more likely to scare the kids than make them laugh.
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But the former champ who lives in St Petersburg with his wife and two children, insisted he was 100 percent serious and even provided a picture of the show being recorded where he is the presenter.
The first edition is due to be broadcast in September.
In his career, he defeated three world champions including John Ruiz, Siarhei Liakhovich and Evander Holyfield, as well as top contenders such as Clifford Etienne, Larry Donald, Owen Beck, Monte Barrett and Jameel McCline.
But the giant Russian lost his title in November 2009 against former unified and lineal cruiserweight champion Haye in Nuremberg on points before retiring due to injury.
Judging by these pictures, he may be keeping some kids awake at night...
