Wlad is not inrerested in fighting Valuev

Klitschko "not interested" in giant Valuev from secondsout.com By Ant Evans: Newly crowned IBO/IBF heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko has immediately set himself the goal of re-unifying the sport's fragmented flagship division, hoping unity will create some genuine interest in the big man scene. However, according to business manager Bernd Boente, a fight with WBA champion Nicolay Valuev - another Eastern Block fighter who is a huge draw in Germany - is not high on Dr Steel Hammer agenda. The sheer spectacle of the 6ft 6inch, 245lbs, Klitschko colliding in the ring with the 7ft 2inch, 325lbs 'Beast from the East' would be enough to make the unification fight as big at the box office as it would be in terms of the sheer size of the combatants. Ads by AffiliateSensor Ads by AffiliateSensor Ads by AffiliateSensor But Russian born Valuev, who fights Owen Beck in what is expected to be an easy first defense in Hannover, Germany, in June, is not at Klitschko's level, according to Team Wlad. Boente told SecondsOut: "I really don't know if that (fight with Valuev) is such a big fight outside of Germany. Valuev is lucky his fights haven't been shown in the US because he hasn't really been winning them. If he fought in America or on HBO the way he fought against John Ruiz or Larry Donald (his last two fights) he would be booed and booed from the second round. He is not exciting or interesting to watch. "The fans around the world would not accept that sort of a fight, I don't think." Klitschko became the man in the division last weekend, when he crushed Chris Byrd in seven brutal rounds. More than any other heavyweight since the retirement of his big brother, Vitali, Klitschko had made a statement that there was a fighter amongst the big men who could not only hold on to his title (which Byrd had done) but also excite the interest of the wider public. Much of the sport - and especially HBO - are hoping that Klitschko can now finally become the heavyweight champion he's always threatened to become ever since he took Olympic gold in Atlanta a decade ago. Some are even daring to whisper that Klitschko, aided by Manny Steward, could become as good as Lennox Lewis was. But Boente said: "These are big words to live up to. Lennox Lewis was a great, great champion who achieved a great deal in boxing over many years. Wladimir is just taking his career one step at a time. We are confident Wladimir is the best heavyweight in the world but he has to prove it one fight at a time."

Comments (20)

i don't think wlad would have a problem with valuev's height. against peter wladomir showed a lot of technical brilliance. his footwork and the punches he can throw from different positions, he's got amazing skill, and valuev does not. it'd be very easy, and i think that klitschko wants to first show people that he's got his head back in the game and take down a true challenge to erase more of the doubts. wlad and samuel together is gonna be lethal.

20y ago

realheavyhands

Wlad's never been an inside technician, but he did punch alot more on the inside before Manny came along. Was that Shufford that he KO'd with an inside hook? its very nice technically but he doesnt have one punch knock out power like lewis or tyson

20y ago

Hitman932

I liked the way that Wlad fought on Saturday, he looked lennox like....but all I'm saying is that for me he has a huge question mark over his head against decent punchers....Byrd was the best fight out there for him cos he just stood there and took the jab, threw nothing and has very little power. I want to get excited about Wlad's skills, but until he faces a decent puncher I will reserve judgement. well im just sayin as a long time fan those are the two fights that i would like to see the most but theyre also not going to happen anytime soon. wlad has to worry about what he can control at this point. you said he looked "lennox like" well if the heavyweight division is as bad as eveeryone says it is there sure as hell arent going to be too many challengers stepping up to someone putting on lennox like performances.

20y ago

glenspen

of course you want to see two fights that everyone who knows their ass from a hole in the ground knows cant happen for at least a year. rahman.... maskaev plus toney rematch brewster... eye surgery plus lyko rematch i suppose its wlads fault he wont be able to land the only two fights that will make you happy? I liked the way that Wlad fought on Saturday, he looked lennox like....but all I'm saying is that for me he has a huge question mark over his head against decent punchers....Byrd was the best fight out there for him cos he just stood there and took the jab, threw nothing and has very little power. I want to get excited about Wlad's skills, but until he faces a decent puncher I will reserve judgement.

20y ago

Hitman932

Lets see a brewster re-match or a fight with Rahman. of course you want to see two fights that everyone who knows their ass from a hole in the ground knows cant happen for at least a year. rahman.... maskaev plus toney rematch brewster... eye surgery plus lyko rematch i suppose its wlads fault he wont be able to land the only two fights that will make you happy?

20y ago

glenspen

i honestly think that he could beat Lewis, Lewis in my opinion was over-rated and champion at a time Heavyweight boxing was at a low. Lewis would get KO'd from the power of Klitchko. I still think that Wlad has to confidently beat a decent puncher before we all swing off his nutsack. Byrd has feather fists and stood right in front of him, it's like he was part of stewards plan. Lets see a brewster re-match or a fight with Rahman.

20y ago

wlad did some great inside work on byrd when he had him hurt. he pressed byrd with uppercuts, short hooks, and short overhands as well as shovel-hooks. i'm not sure what fight some of you guys were watching. true, wk doesn't do a lot of phone booth fighting, but why should he. he's fucking 6'7", how the hell can anyone expect him to shoe-shine an opponents body when he's usually 3+ inches taller. it would be stupid, actually. but, i get a sense that wladimir has been working on some shit we haven't seen yet from him. and we all got a little taste of some of it when he was battering byrd around in round five. as for wk vs ll, this fight really could go either way hypothetically speaking. a strong minded confident wlad could very well win. and, he could very well lose. either way, i doubt it would be an unexciting blowout by either fighter.

20y ago

hollister

it goes against the 'sweet science' and all that it has taught us to suggest that donald fought against wlad on the outside. this is false. donald was able to use 'over-under' tactics to defeat valuev (unnoficially). i am, however, still waiting for a fighter to exploit wlad's lack of an inside game. i thought toney could do it for as long as it lasted (about 10 rounds), but valuev would pose a much bigger problem. a difficult opponent for wlad is someone who keeps him from getting set, establish a reach advantage and knows how to follow through after a quick initial move. valuev is all of the above, except he lacks the natural skill and technique that fighters far into the game have learned over the years. it's still an interesting matchup, at least on paper. Wlad's never been an inside technician, but he did punch alot more on the inside before Manny came along. Was that Shufford that he KO'd with an inside hook?

20y ago

Kid_Achilles

Wlad's right is weak? It's one of his best punches! I was checking out some old Wlad clips when he was on the way up and he was knocking guys out left and right with that right hand. On one occassion it looked identical to the one he dropped Byrd with. Wlad has one of the best right hands in the division.

20y ago

realheavyhands

HUGE props to Wlad for not expressing interest in Valuev. 99% of the fighters in the sport in his place would be building Valuev up and clamoring for such an easy fight. I am honestly impressed. you could look at it that way. but thats not it, wald does not want to fight somebody bigger then him, remember wlads right is weak, hows he gonna out jab somebody thats 6 inches taller with a pretty good jab and out weighs him by 85 lbs, valuev is average but hes the giant of giants, and i guarantee steward(who is the master of matchups) would not let wald fight him and they deffinately already spoke about this,...not to say wald count win but its to risky

20y ago

beez721

This is funny. In fact it's hilarious. Take a look at who's already beaten Wlad, and then try and tell me that Lennox Lewis wouldn't with a straight face. You can't because it's ludicrous! :lol1: well,,,you could also say look at the 2 guys that knocked lewis out. wlad is a much better puncher than both of them. dont get me wrong,,I'd favor lewis by knockout but it sure wouldnt shock me if wlad caught him either. he would be the best 2 fisted puncher lewis has ever fought but lewis is mentally tougher inside and would probably have knocked wlad out

20y ago

GasPed

Take a look at who knocked Lewis out cold: then tell me with a straight face he could deal with anything Wlad had to throw. He couldn't. I'd lean Towards Lewis winning....but it's a pickem fight. You're right about one thing - if they fought today it would be a pickem fight. :p Seriously, Wlad is as good offensively as anyone we've seen since Lewis, but his jangle jaw will let him down against anyone with decent power and skills. Sam "the Haymaker" Peter had him in queertown 3 times without ever hitting him solidly, and he has absolutely no skills to speak of. A prime Lewis would put Wlad down in 2, just like Corrie Sanders did. Course if they fought today, it would be a pickem fight (though I'd still lean toward Lewis, like you :p )

20y ago

Hitman932

This is funny. In fact it's hilarious. Take a look at who's already beaten Wlad, and then try and tell me that Lennox Lewis wouldn't with a straight face. You can't because it's ludicrous! :lol1: im bet if they fought 10 times wlad would beat lennox once or twice, he is right, hypothetically, wlad could knock lewis out. it also wouldnt be crazy to say that wlad klitschko is much more dangerous than oliver mccall or hasim rahman, the guys who beat lewis. the rest of his post about lewis being overrated was just uncalled for. i think he was fishing for some red karma.

20y ago

Run8964

This is funny. In fact it's hilarious. Take a look at who's already beaten Wlad, and then try and tell me that Lennox Lewis wouldn't with a straight face. You can't because it's ludicrous! :lol1: Take a look at who knocked Lewis out cold: then tell me with a straight face he could deal with anything Wlad had to throw. He couldn't. I'd lean Towards Lewis winning....but it's a pickem fight. Never pay again for live sex! | Hot girls doing naughty stuff for free! | Chat for free!

20y ago

GasPed

i honestly think that he could beat Lewis, Lewis in my opinion was over-rated and champion at a time Heavyweight boxing was at a low. Lewis would get KO'd from the power of Klitchko. This is funny. In fact it's hilarious. Take a look at who's already beaten Wlad, and then try and tell me that Lennox Lewis wouldn't with a straight face. You can't because it's ludicrous! :lol1:

20y ago

rocco1252

i seriously doubt that he could become as good as lennox lewis like steward said. i honestly think that he could beat Lewis, Lewis in my opinion was over-rated and champion at a time Heavyweight boxing was at a low. Lewis would get KO'd from the power of Klitchko.

20y ago

Hitman932

Besides, Mcbride is no pushover and should be taken seriously. mcbride is a total pushover and not even he takes himself seriously. he just weighed in at 286 pounds for his last fight, a whopping 16 more than the previous one. klitschko would KO him in 1 round. lyakovich will drill his sorry ass also, but it;ll take a couple rounds.

20y ago

Hitman932

The scary part of this is that Valuev might lose to Beck. It is actually a possibility since Beck would be the best guy he has fought other than Ruiz, or Donald, both of whom he struggled with. Then we would have Owen Beck holding one of the title belts, which would just be wonderful for boxing. imagine who beck would defend against...... yanqui diaz?

20y ago

Southpaw16

20y ago

Manny_P

he should. why not?!

20y ago