Evaluation of Nikolai Valuev's career

[HomicideHenry]

He ultimately retired, best of my recollection, because of bad knees. That is not uncommon for men of his size. Ernie Ladd the 6'9" 300+ pound lineman had to retire for the same reason.

[gregor]

Too many close or disputable wins to call him top fighter.

His best clear win would have to be chosen between Liakhovich, McCline or Barret.

[Caractacus]

36th professional fight-Febuary 2004

[Caractacus]

Valuev's ( you guessed it) 37th professional fight. -April 2004( in 4 parts)
BTW the dude he is fighting is listed there as 5 ft 10".

[Caractacus]

July 2004 ,38th pro fight and the New WBA International HW Champion !

[Caractacus]

39th professional fight-October 2004

[Caractacus]

[Caractacus]

41st professional fight-February 2005.

[tiny_acres]

Slow lumbering big man who despite his lack of athletic ability and a limited skillset. He was quite successful.

[HomicideHenry]

I must admit that I really don't see an evolution of skills as time goes on. If you look at the earliest fights and compare to the later fights, he does the same thing.

[Caractacus]

.42nd professional fight-May 2005

[Caractacus]

43th pro fight-November 2005

[DrDuke]

43th pro fight-November 2005

A robbery. Donald outboxed him.

[drunkenpiper36]

being that large was actually more of a handicap to him than it was an advantage.. he was painfully slow, not terribly well coordinated and lacked aggression and tenacity. considering his late start in the sport and limited ability I'd say he did okay for himself. he was never stopped ( and I believe never floored ) in 50 pro fights. he held an alphabet strap for several defenses and defeated a handful of guys who had moderate notoriety. Boxing history is loaded with guys who had more potential yet did a lot less....

[Caractacus]

Painfully slow ? don't make us larf
He was quick on his feet and had excellent reflexes.
I really think that he was a giant who refused to use a giant's stength
because he figured maybe that it would be unfair to his opponent.
Can you imagine if he had mauled his opponents with his 324 lbs ?
leaning on them,pressing his forarm against the back of their necks.
hurling them from pillar to post with his massive size advantage.
They would have been on their knees just from that in a few rounds.
and the few times when Valuev decided to "cut loose",man that was almost scary.
it reminded me of a Tsumami wave and how do you defend yourself against a Tsumami wave ?
you really cant.

[Caractacus]

44th pro fight-December 2005.

[adislav123]

to call him slow and lacking coordination is really ignorant, you really just could make such a statement if you never saw him boxing and solely judge him by his behemoth appearance. Not slower or less coordinate than the average good 6 ' 5", 6' 6" heavyweight BUT so much more resilient & powerful. His biggest achievement was to overcome his natural phlegma, he was really a gentle giant, who knew that he could seriously hurt people if he would go all out, which he never really had to. Always a measured and controlled approach of getting the job done. Liked his style better than frikkin Vlad's horrible "the boxing Zombie (with a degree in pee h. Dee"-show. Would have liked to see him against the Klitschkos, at least early vladimir i think he would've wrecked and maybe spared us from his god awful "title reign".

[drunkenpiper36]

So ten years later the new consensus is that Nikolay Valuev was “ Quick” and that he would have “wrecked” Wladimir Klitchko ?? I wonder what Lucas Browne will be in ten years.. A Calvin Klein underwear model perhaps ?

[Caractacus]

45th pro fight-June 2006

[tiny_acres]

So ten years later the new consensus is that Nikolay Valuev was “ Quick” and that he would have “wrecked” Wladimir Klitchko ?? I wonder what Lucas Browne will be in ten years.. A Calvin Klein underwear model perhaps ?

This topic has gone off the deep end.
Rose colored glasses are one thing. Smoking too much meth is another

[Caractacus]

46th pro fight-October 2006

[HomicideHenry]

Valuev was supposed to fight Vitali Klitschko, but never did it. He retired despite being offered the big bucks. It'd of been interesting only because it'd be the rare occasion where Vitali fought a man taller and heavier than himself. I don't think nobody then or now honestly thought Valuev could have won against the elder Klitschko.

[DrDuke]

I don't think nobody then or now honestly thought Valuev could have won against the elder Klitschko.

Neither against the younger one.

[Caractacus]

47th fight-( and still undefeated !)-January 2007

[Caractacus]

April-2007.