Nikolai Sergeyevich Valuev (; born 21 August 1973) is a Russian politician and former professional boxer. He competed in boxing from 1993 to 2009, and held the World Boxing Association (WBA) heavyweight title twice between 2005 and 2009. At a height of and a peak weight of , Valuev is best known for being the tallest and heaviest world champion in boxing history.Jones, Michael J (24 June 2013). "Giants of the ring; the ten tallest heavyweight champions in history: Part Two" . livefight.com. Retrieved 20 September 2016.Alexander, George (12 January 2017). "Boxing Trivia". boxbets.co.uk. Retrieved 21 February 2017. He is also the first heavyweight champion to have finished his career without ever being knocked down, and he is the fifth to have never been stopped.

Biography Valuev was born on 21 August 1973, in Leningrad, Soviet Union (now Saint Petersburg, Russia). His parents are short, unlike his Tatar ancestor "of mountainous proportions", and Valuev had previously denied that his own size was due to medical issues such as gigantism complicated by acromegaly, instead arguing for it being a question of genetics. However, in 2009 he was diagnosed with acromegaly and has since stated that he has it.

Valuev is a Russian Orthodox Christian.

Valuev has written a book in Russian called My 12 Rounds, with the help of Russian sports journalist Konstantin Osipov. The book discusses his life in general and his boxing career in particular. For that book, Valuev received an award from the government of Saint Petersburg.

In January 2006, Valuev was accused of assaulting a security guard at the Spartak Ice Palace in Saint Petersburg. No criminal investigation was launched by local police.

Amateur career Highlights Russian National Championships (+91 kg), Saint Petersburg, Russia, May 1994: 1/4: Lost to Alexei Lezin Goodwill Games (+91 kg), Saint Petersburg, July 1994: 1/4: Lost to Alexei Lezin (Russia) on points, 8–+8ut.

Professional career First reign as WBA heavyweight champion

In 2005, Valuev squared off with WBA heavyweight champion John Ruiz, and won a twelve-round majority-decision, becoming both the tallest (7 ft or 2.13 m) and heaviest (324 lbs or 147 kg) champion in boxing history.

Valuev vs. Chagaev

The title defense was held on 14 April 2007. Chagaev defeated Valuev by a majority decision (117–111, 115–113 and 114–114).

Valuev changed trainers, from Manuel Gabrielian to Alexander Zimin, who coached the old Soviet Union amateur boxing team. On 29 September 2007, Valuev won against Jean-Francois Bergeron in Oldenburg, Germany, by a 12-round unanimous decision (118–111 on all three cards).

Between title reigns Valuev vs. Liakhovich On 16 February 2008, in a title eliminator, Valuev defeated former titleholder Siarhei Liakhovich, winning every round at the Nuremberg Arena in Germany. The victory earned Valuev the right to face Chagaev for the WBA title again, the only man who had defeated him in his boxing career.

Second reign as WBA champion Valuev vs. Ruiz II

He was scheduled to face Chagaev for his WBA title on 5 July 2008, but Chagaev pulled out with an injury. Valuev instead fought John Ruiz for the vacant title on 30 August 2008 and the WBA decided to make Chagaev "Champion In Recess". Valuev defeated Ruiz by unanimous decision to regain the WBA heavyweight championship, with Valuev and Chagaev set to fight no later than 26 June 2009 to determine whom the WBA regarded as their champion. The scores were 114–113, 116–113, and 116–111. The result was initially declared a split decision win for Valuev with the 114–113 score by ringside judge Takeshi Shimakawa was announced in favor of Ruiz rather than for Valuev. One of the scorecards had the names of the fighters in opposite order, resulting in the confusion. The decision was once again unpopular with the live crowd, as some booed the outcome, much like in the first bout.

Valuev vs. Holyfield

Valuev's first title defense of his second reign as WBA Champion was against the 46-year-old, four-time heavyweight champion of the world, Evander Holyfield, on 20 December 2008. Before the match, Valuev weighed 310.8 pounds (141 kg), nearly 100 pounds heavier than Holyfield at 214.3 pounds (97 kg).Holyfield, 46, faces Valuev for heavyweight title , Associated Press, 20 December 2008. After a rather uneventful match with no knockdowns and few punches thrown by either fighter, Valuev won a widely disputed majority decision. In response to the controversial result the WBA announced plans to investigate the decision.

Loss to Haye

In his second defense on 7 November 2009, billed as 'David vs. Goliath', Valuev faced off against former unified and lineal cruiserweight champion David Haye (22–1, 21 KOs) at the Arena Nürnberger Versicherung in Nuremberg. Valuev lost by a majority decision (114–114, 116–112, 116–112).

Retirement from boxing and health problems Valuev announced his retirement from boxing in a Russian newspaper three days after the loss to Haye on 10 November 2009.

In 2010, Valuev's doctor went on record saying that he is treating Valuev for "serious bone and joint problems". Valuev underwent two operations that required at least six months on the sidelines.

Valuev confirmed in 2013 that medical advice was one of the reasons he is not planning to make a comeback in boxing.

Outside of boxing Television career Valuev's first role in a film was a cameo appearance in the German film in 2006. In 2008, Valuev played the main role in the film Stonehead by Philip Yankovskiy, playing an ex-boxer who lost his memory. The film took the main prize at the film festival "Window to Europe". After the success of Stonehead, it was announced Valuev was being filmed in two new films at the same time.

In August 2016, Valuev became a presenter on Good Night, Little Ones!, Russia's long-running TV program for small children. He replaced Dmitry Malikov as the host.

Political career

In December 2011 Russian parliamentary election, Valuev became a member of the State Duma through the United Russia Party. On 17 December 2012, Valuev supported the law in the Russian Parliament banning adoption of Russian orphans by citizens of the US.

Following the IOC's decision to suspend Russia from participating in the Olympics under its flag due to the Russian state-sponsored doping scandal, Valuev said that Russia should go to the Olympics and "tear everyone apart to spite these bastards who want to kill our sport."

In September 2022, Valuev revealed he had been drafted to serve in the Russian armed forces.

Involvement in other sports In 2011, Valuev became the general manager of the Russia national bandy team, and is tasked with developing the sport in the country. He is also the Vice-President of the Russian Bandy Federation. Bandy is considered a national sport in Russia.

Nikolai Valuev Boxing School and Youth Sports Foundation In 2009, Valuev, together with a group of coaches, created the Nikolay Valuev Boxing School, with offices in Saint Petersburg and the Leningrad Oblast. The school is divided into three types of age groups: pupils (school terms 3–5), students (terms 6–8), and adults. School pupils participate and compete in various boxing matches, including the "Valuev Cup" youth boxing tournament, which became a regular competition in Saint Petersburg.

Professional boxing record

ResultRecordOpponent TypeRound,timeDate Location Notes 53LossDavid HayeMD127 Nov 200952Win50–1 Evander HolyfieldMD1220 Dec 200851Win49–1 John RuizUD1230 Aug 200850Win48–1 Siarhei LiakhovichUD1216 Feb 200849Win47–1 Jean Francois BergeronUD1229 Sep 200748Loss46–1 Ruslan ChagaevMD1214 Apr 200747Win46–0 Jameel McClineRTD3 (12), 20 Jan 200746Win45–0 Monte BarrettTKO11 (12), 7 Oct 200645Win44–0 Owen BeckTKO3 (12), 3 Jun 200644Win43–0 John RuizMD1217 Dec 200543Win42–0 Larry Donald121 Oct 200542Win41–0 Clifford EtienneKO3 (12)14 May 200541Win40–0 Attila LevinTKO3 (12), 12 Feb 200540Win39–0 Gerald Nobles4 (12), 20 Nov 200439Win38–0 Paolo VidozTKO9 (12), 9 Oct 200438Win37–0 Richard IgbineghuTKO6 (10), 24 Jul 200437Win36–0 Marcelo DomínguezUD817 Apr 200436Win35–0 Dicky RyanTKO1 (10), 28 Feb 200435Win34–0 Otis TisdaleKO1 (8)4 Oct 200334Win33–0 Bob MirovicUD816 Aug 200333Win32–0 Vitali ShkrabaTKO4 (10)18 Jul 200332Win31–0 Pedro Daniel FrancoUD1215 Mar 200331Win30–0 Kostiantyn PryziukRTD3 (10), 10 Oct 200230Win29–0 Taras BidenkoUD1221 Jul 200229Win28–0 Yaroslav ZavorotnyiTKO3 (10)15 Jun 200228Win27–0 Toakipa TasefaUD1228 Sep 200127Win26–0 George LinbergerTKO1 (12), 30 Jun 200126Win25–0 Vitali ShkrabaTKO4 (8)6 Mar 200125Win24–0 Tone FisoTKO1 (12)29 Oct 200024Win23–0 Yuriy YelistratovUD126 Jun 200023Win22–0 Yuri NikolaevTKO2 (6)10 Mar 200022Win21–0 Aleksei VarakinKO1 (12), 15 Dec 199921Win20–0 James McQueenKO1 (6)25 Jun 19992019–0 Andreas SidonNC67 May 199919Win19–0John TupouTKO4 (6), 13 Feb 199918Win18–0Aleksei OsokinTKO6 (10)22 Jan 199917Win17–0Evgeny OdolskyKO1 (6)19 Dec 199816Win16–0James Gaines69 Jun 199815Win15–0Jim HuffmanTKO2 (6), 14 Mar 199814Win14–0Sinclair BabbTKO1 (6), 6 Dec 199713Win13–0Alarim UysalTKO28 Nov 199712Win12–0Kevin RosierKO127 Sep 199711Win11–0Aug TanuvasaTKO1 (6), 21 Aug 199710Win10–0Rodney HarrisPTS426 Jul 19979Win9–0Terrell NelsonTKO2 (4), 31 May 19978Win8–0Manao NavuilawaTKO1 (4), 9 May 19977Win7–0Patrick SladeTKO1 (4), 21 Mar 19976Win6–0Darren Fearn1 (6), 26 Nov 19965Win5–0Neil KirkwoodTKO2 (4)8 Oct 19964Win4–0Sergei AnikeevKO2 (4)16 Feb 19953Win3–0Aleksei Tsygankov3 (4)15 Apr 19942Win2–0Aleksandr Vasiliev422 Feb 19941Win1–0John Morton2 (4)15 Oct 1993

Filmography 2001: The town – issue #89 2003: Playing without rules – cameo 2006: 7 Zwerge – Der Wald ist nicht genug – cameo 2008: Rock Head – Yegor Golovin "Rock Head" 2009: Path – a prisoner nicknamed "The Beast" 2009: Fight without rules – Nicholas Shafts 2011: Antique Watches – cameo 2013: Bigfoot Files – himself

Notes

References

External links