VITALI KLITSCHKO vs NICOLAY VALUEV has been CONFIRMED

[exittored]

Vitali Klitschko vs Valuev has been confirmed for later this year, this is Brilliant News :)

Valuev to meet Vitaly Klitschko in unification fight
Wed Jun 24, 2009

MOSCOW (Reuters) - WBA heavyweight champion Nikolai Valuev will meet WBC title holder Vitaly Klitschko in a unification fight this year, the Russian boxer said.

"I've talked to Vitaly on the phone recently and we agreed to meet each other in a ring," Valuev, 35, was quoted as saying by Russian media. "As far as the dates we're talking about the end of September or early October."

Ukrainian Klitschko said: "Yes, it's true. Nikolai had offered to fight and I've accepted his challenge."

Klitschko, 37, became eligible to fight Valuev after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruled that he did not have to make a mandatory defense against former champion Oleg Maskaev.

Valuev's fight with Uzbek Ruslan Chagaev was canceled last month because Chagaev had tested positive for hepatitis B.

Klitschko's younger brother Vladimir, who holds the IBF, IBO and WBO heavyweight belts, retained his titles when he knocked out Chagaev in a fight in Germany Saturday.

In a fragmented heavyweight division, boxing fans worldwide have long been hoping that an undisputed champion will emerge.

"I think everyone in the boxing world would want to see this fight because people are tired of having so many different title versions," Valuev said.

I guess this leaves HAYE out in the cold till at least 2010 now!

[DavidPayne]

Despite the limitations of both fighters, this is good, positive news. Hopefully, Wladimir will fight Povetkin in September-October too.

In the absence of a single champion, two fighters with the same surname is the next best thing!

[jamesmcdonnell]

Looking forward to this. We may see Valuev finally get sparked out. If anyone can do it, it's Vitaly, he has the height, reach, and spiteful nature to do it.

I can only see one end to this, and that's Valuev getting badly battered, he will be too slow to evade the big shots.

[exittored]

Despite what everyone think's, Valuev is a Good guy and is doing what's right for Boxing by fighting Vitali

VALUEV has a chance against a 38yr old Vitali, i'd say this is 60-40 in Vitali's favour.

Everyone is looking too deeply into the Holyfield Fight but i dont regard that as the 'Real Valuev', he stated before that Fight that fighting Holyfield wasn't a worthy thing to do and his performance came off as someone who didn't want to be there.

As much as i Like Vitali, the best thing for Boxing is that VALUEV beats Vitali and than Fight's Wlad in a UNDISPUTED HEAVYWEIGHT FIGHT in 2010. That would be the 1st since 1993 i think when Bowe threw the Belt in the Bin.

[jamesmcdonnell]

Despite what everyone think's, Valuev is a Good guy and is doing what's right for Boxing by fighting Vitali

VALUEV has a chance against a 38yr old Vitali, i'd say this is 60-40 in Vitali's favour.

Everyone is looking too deeply into the Holyfield Fight but i dont regard that as the 'Real Valuev', he stated before that Fight that fighting Holyfield wasn't a worthy thing to do and his performance came off as someone who didn't want to be there.

As much as i Like Vitali, the best thing for Boxing is that VALUEV beats Vitali and than Fight's Wlad in a UNDISPUTED HEAVYWEIGHT FIGHT in 2010. That would be the 1st since 1993 i think when Bowe threw the Belt in the Bin.

Just don't see how Valuev wins, he's not a big puncher, and he doesn't throw enough shots. Vitali throws a hell of a lot of leather for a big man. Barring injury during the fight, Vitali is going to be outlanding him 4-1 and has the chin to take the shots coming back.

[Shirow]

I think the only interesting aspect of this fight would be to see how Vit adjusts to a boxer whose jab he can't just lean back from. His style is entirely based around having a big height/reach advantage so it could end up a harder job than it looks.

[exittored]

Well VITALI will be 38 going into the Fight plus has a history of injuries so anything can happen

Valuev has a world class jab and this will be the First time in his career that he's faced someone close to his own Height as Vitali is around 6ft 7/8inch so won't have the problem of having to hit downwards by a Foot and lose Punch Velocity by doing so or having his much Smaller Opponent bob in and out of punching range. I think Valuev will look the best he's ever looked in this Fight and surprise everyone.

[jamesmcdonnell]

Its an interesting fight, but I think Vitali's speed will be the key factor. Valuev's reach is shorter than Lennox Lewis', (81" to Lewis 84") and in fact Vitali has only a one inch deficit in reach, and given heigh disparity, i reckon he will have longer arms and therefore a longer effective reach, and I think that even a 37 year old Lewis was still a more difficult proposition. Valuev landed plenty of jab's on Lewis and in fact was winning the battle of the jabs early on until Lewis warmed up a bit.

Vitali WTKO11, that's my prediction right here.

[Shirow]

Interestingly, looking at his record, Vitali's two tallest opponents were Lennox (6'5) and Hoffman (6'7). We all know what happened in the LL fight and i have never seen the Hoffman fight but it's his only win that went the full 12...

Maybe height/reach does give a problem.

[johnswan1]

Vitali by KO whenever he feels like it. Will probably wear him down first over four or five rounds. I reckon we'll all be feeling sorry for Valeuv, it's going to be ugly.

[stujones]

I do feel sorry for Holyfield in all this, who doesn't deserve to wait in line IMO.

[DavidPayne]

Easily solved.

Haye v Holyfield on SKY SPORTS at the 02 in September.

[DavidPayne]

Generations collide.

Etc.

Haye doesn't fight old men well.

That fight could sell, with a decent lead undercard fight or co-headline with Froch v Bute.

That would nearly merit a PPV tag?

[Asterix]

Interestingly, looking at his record, Vitali's two tallest opponents were Lennox (6'5) and Hoffman (6'7). We all know what happened in the LL fight and i have never seen the Hoffman fight but it's his only win that went the full 12...

Maybe height/reach does give a problem.

There's also Francesco Spinelli, who is 6' 6½". Vitali fought him for the European title in '98 and knocked him out in 1 round.

[lirva]

Vitali and Valuev are in different stratospheres in terms of ability.

I don't know too much about Valuevs chin, but it is going to have to be good because several right hands will be bouncing off his chin with regularity all night.

I think it will be a stoppage victory for Vitali. No way he loses this.

[Asterix]

Here's Valuev testing his chin against Bidenko 26(12)-3(2): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KaigdKiO8Xc

[lirva]

Valuev looked a bit hurt there in that clip.

[alexpaterson]

Klitschko will wipe the floor with the beast from the east he isnt a good fighter he is just so big but now he is fighting a fellow giant and I see a dominant UD decision or even a late KO Vitali is out of Valuev's league imo

[whatashambles]

So Wlad will have IBF and WBO, Vitali WBC and WBA?
Or will Vitali be elevated to Super Champion should he win

[jamesmcdonnell]

They should be drugged and forced to fight if they both win. Not boxing, but armed with broken bottles and razor wire.

[overhand_right]

As much as i Like Vitali, the best thing for Boxing is that VALUEV beats Vitali and than Fight's Wlad in a UNDISPUTED HEAVYWEIGHT FIGHT in 2010. That would be the 1st since 1993 i think when Bowe threw the Belt in the Bin.

Did you miss the Lewis-Holyfield unification in 1999.......?

[Autobarn]

yeah but lennox and evander never fought herbie hide (WBO holder). INCOMPLETE LEGACYYYYYYYYY!

ideal scenario: vitali batters vluev. povetkin batters wlad. build up to superfight, vitali v povetkin.

[gobbles]

It's a fight that will get a lot of people talking about boxing. That in itself makes it a good fight.

[Autobarn]

Definitely. This could be a good attraction - and would be a more physical contest than the usual, say, Wlad bore.

I wonder how Vitali will fight vs someone physically daunting OR bigger than him (like Valuev). Lennox had size advantages almost every fight, but went for the jugular v Golota, Grant, Ruddock, as well as Vitali.

Will it bring out the best in him or will he be edgy and cautious?

[exittored]

2010 could be a Really Exciting Year for Heavyweight Boxing :)

We could finally have a UNDISPUTED HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION

The Following Fights will take Place during September/ October

VITALI vs VALUEV and WLAD vs POVETKIN

If one of the KLITSCHKO’S happens to Lose than there will be a WINDOW of OPPORTUNITY between DECEMBER 09 and APRIL 2010 for a Unified Heavyweight Champion for all the BELTS before MANDATORIES come into Play.

So we could get either:

WLAD vs VALUEV or VITALI vs POVETKIN for the WBC/WBA/IBF/WBO/IBO Belts

As soon as one of these Fighters gets all the Belts, I’d than thrown them all away and just Keep the RING HEAVYWEIGHT BELT rendering all the other Belts completely Meaningless to every Boxing Fan.

The RING CHAMPION can than make 2 defences in 2010 against HAYE and ARREOLA Which would be Great!