Ruslan Chagaev - Just read something on him

[!! Mr. Soprano]

I was just looking at Boxrec and their standing of the HW division and noticed another Ukrainian fighter who made it to the top 10.

Vladimir Virchis - with 22 wins, 19 by KO and only one loss. Not a bad record, but the person who he lost via a MD was Ruslan Chagaev.. some of you knew that already.. but then I click on the little book icon to read on the fight details.. and this is what I see:

"Cagaev's Mother died one Night earlier.Chagaev came in to this fight without sleeping for more than 24 hours.Virchis is Chagaev's stalmate and a good friend of him."

I was like DAMN!

Fighters make valid excuses saying that their trainer isn't there so mentally they were offset.. but imagine losing your mother the night before the fight?!

So how good is Chagaev?

Why isn't he given any chance against Valuev?
From what I know, he beat Ruiz more convincingly than Valuev's robbery

[larrytyson]

well I personaly think Chagaev will win by clouse UD!

[RAESAAD]

From the things I have read and heard from others I would say he has a real shot.....He is a Southpaw if I am not mistaken and a pretty good fighter by most accounts.One can only hope and pray.......

[Zerwas1]

He(6'0) will have problems with Valuevs(7'0) height as an southpaw. Valuev developed since Ruiz and Chagaev isn't as fast as I wish he would be.
Sure he will win some rounds but I go with corrupt judges and a split decision for Valuev.

[larrytyson]

He(6'0) will have problems with Valuevs(7'0) height as an southpaw. Valuev developed since Ruiz and Chagaev isn't as fast as I wish he would be.
Sure he will win some rounds but I go with corrupt judges and a split decision for Valuev.

u could be right!

[macman]

Chagaev's a very good fighter - would put him as the number 2 contender after Peter.

Think the only reason that he's not taken as seriously as he should be is because he's not American - if you're not American & don't have most of your big fights over there, you don't exist in the world scene as far as they are concerned.


Still, think he's going to have problems with Valuev due to the size difference.
One of Chagaev's favourite manouvers is to stun his opponents with a sudden lead right-hook to the head & finish them off with left-right combo's, & I don't think he could even reach Valuev's head with a right hook.

He's good enough to compensate to a certain extent, but think that Valuv's size & stamina has him edging a close fight.


PS. a fight with Peter would be very interesting.
Think that Peter's greater experience & size gives him the edge, but not by much.
Would edge Chagaev on skills, & power's a toss-up.
One of the best heavyweight matchup's out there.

[Drunken Cat]

Well, i'm picking Chagaev to beat Valu based on his credentials, though i havent seen him fight. Valuev is overrated on this forum, though the judges may play a factor to be sure.

That is some crazy **** about his mom dying before the virtis fight

[Rudyo]

I have picked against Valuev in his last 3 fights, he has proven me wrong. No longer.

Valuev UD.

[MAXWELL_]

very,very good article on Chagaev.



http://www.fightwriter.com/?q=node/530

[Kid Achilles]

I really hope Chagaev can do it.

He's physically like a modern Marciano in his build in relation to his opponents. Of course he doesn't have Marciano's level of skill, conditioning, power, and perhaps even chin, but he could do well to learn a page from the Marciano Book of Fighting and use his short height to an advantage by fighting out of a crouch. Small, stocky fighters also need tons of stamina as they aren't likely to score the quick knockouts against top opposition. I don't know how Chagaev's stamina is. He looks a bit soft but that may just be his genetics and not neccesarily indicative of his work ethic.