Shorty After his third-round TKO win over American Challenger Owen "What The Heck" Beck, Nikolai Valuev said that America is next.
“It was an important fight for me being my first title defense,” Valuev, who improved to 44-0 with 32 knockouts, said. “I change my training after each fight to prepare for my opponent’s skills. My trainer and I developed a good boxing plan tonight.
“Now I will go to conquer America.”
Valuev was congratulated after the fight by a man in an arena hallway who told him, “Your combinations looked good.” The 7-foot Russian smiled when he heard the English word and pointed to his trainer, Manuel Gabrielian, from Armenia.
“Combinations, combinations, combinations,” he said in reference to Gabrielian’s repeated training guidance to use this boxing skill to his benefit. His trainer returned the smile and added a knowing nod of approval.
Valuev’s co-promoters, Sauerland Event from Germany and Don King Productions from America, were vocal at the post-fight press conference in support of Valuev.
“Nikolai Valuev is one of the most underestimated boxers in the world,” Don King said. “He is throwing more and better combinations as well as a devastating uppercut. I believe this man has the ability to become undisputed world champion.”
Wilfried Sauerland addressed America and Americans directly.
“I have heard some of the Americans were skeptical of Nico in the beginning, only looking at his height and weight,” Sauerland said. “What they don’t know is how hard we and Nico have been working to improve his skills. He’s always been a tremendous physical specimen. Now the Americans are going to see how much his boxing skills have improved.”