How much of a chance would you give Valuev against Zhang

Valuev was clueless against southpaws.
He lost nearly every round to short 6'0'' Chagaev, was completely dominated in that fight.

His fight vs Bergeron was close like 7-5 for the ugly giant, and Bergeron was skinny featherfisted southpaw with no chin, he was destroyed by fringe contender Dominic Guinn in mere 2 rounds in his very next fight.

Zhang is not only southpaw, he's a big southpaw with skills who hits 10/10 with both hands. Given Valuev's complete lack of defensive skills and speed, it's a disastrous opponent for him.

Zhang knocks Valuev out cold, the question is only in which round it happens.

 

The only way I could see a path to victory is if Zhang gasses out and collapses, which isn't out of the realm of possibility as Valuev would probably throw a right hand and then smother Zhang.

But like others have said I would pick Zhang by KO and this is coming from someone who saw way too many Valuev fights

 

Zhang is bette than Valuev was in every department, complete mis-match.

 

Biggest or Tallest? He's neither.

Julius Long was taller than him, and (of guys that had semi notable careers) Corey T Rex Sanders was heavier than him

As for chance........ Valuev was horrible and slow and despite being his size actually wasn't a big puncher. I think Zhang is big enough he actually has a real chance to stop Valuev.

 

Decent chin and more than decent jab but he is nearly as slow as Zhāng and he would have much less pronounced a height and reach advantage here than usual in his career, so he's getting caught & rocked at some point. Question would then become his survival vs. Zhāng's finishing skills.

 

Slim to none. Valuev's head is too stationary to last long against Zhang.

 

Honestly, Zhang has such a poor work rate and gas tank, he could conceivably lose to any fighter that makes it to the finish line. Valuev may have been one of the least skilled champions ever, but, his jab wasn't all that bad. I could see him outworking Zhang for a decision win.

 

None. Big Bang Zhang would shatter that cro-magnon skull of Valuev.

 

Thing with Valuev is that he was super tough and didn't get tired. Zhang is faster, a better boxer, a harder hitter ... but he has the gas tank of an asthmatic hamster. I don't know how to pick this, but I can make this prediction: if Zhang doesn't get Valuev out in the first 4, the Russian giant will outwork him and win over the stretch. Valuev wasn't awful by any means.

 

Zhang`s hands are far quicker than Valuev`s were and he`s far more skilled, have you even seen him fight? Valuev was slow as hell, he was awful.

 

Valuev had good speed, workrate and stamina for a man his size.

Yeah he was wobbled by Haye, but never been in any serious trouble. I think if Valuev came prepared with a gameplan against Zhang and survived the early onslaught he would tire Zhang out and pick him apart. Zhang is an overweight 6 foot 6.

Valuev is a well proportioned 320+, so he isn't carrying any excess weight if anything he Valuev could do with a bit more bulk but his frame, bone density and size already afford him good strength and leverage without over exerting himself.

I like Valuevs chances, and don't think its a clear victory for Zhang if Valuev comes fully prepared.

Zhang is a very dangerous man though.

Also, I would like to hear from Valuevs opponents on how hard or light hitting Valuev hits because the forum consensus appears to have Valuev as a light punching man but I think he hits hard enough.

 

Zhang was an olympian, Valuev wouldn`t have got near an olmpic team as an amtuer, could you imagine Valuev boxing v AJ?

 

Well ive seen Wilder box in the olympics and im still trying to unsee it.

Valuev would have done much better as a boxer in olympics than Wilder, in terms of boxing ability.

Styles make fights at the end of the day, just think Valuev is not an easy fight for anyone.

I think AJ poses more danger to Valuev than Zhang,

 

Dustin Nichols

 

Zhang is the current (over)hyped heavy - he's got decent enough skills and hits pretty hard, but his achievements are very limited and his resume is very thin (remember, he's currently 3-2-1 against top-200 ranked fighters).

For all the (justifiable) argument that Valuev didn't really like southpaws and his chin, whilst excellent, wasn't impenetrable since Haye managed to rock him...
It's also true that Zhang lost a close decision to a less durable and equally basic fighter who was shorter, had less reach and didn't have the stamina that Valuev had (Hrgovic).


I wouldn't be so hasty to assume Zhang would've beaten Valuev... If anything, I lean the other way.