I've seen a few posts about Valuev and how he would do against this guy or that guys title challengers. Well I'm ready to do the dirty work for this forum and review some Valuev fights. I'm trying to keep an open mind and do an honest review. I'll start from some of his earlier fights and work my way through his career. Though I reserve the right to skip the John Ruiz fights as I may have what a lot of people from the 00s have that followed boxing, "John Ruiz PTSD" Nikolai Valuev (7-0 6 KOs)vs Terrell Nelson (6-3 4 KOs) Valuev 23 years old here. This is the first time I heard of Valuev (highlights shown on an HBO card) and was surprised the entire fight video is up on YouTube. Round 1 Nelson is trained by McGirt which is surprising (or maybe not, McGirt must of just retired). Nelson lands a lot of shots on Valuev who take them well. But Nelson is no defensive genius either and starts eating Valuevs shots, which look like a bunch of arm punches. A right hand drops Nelson right before the bell and he takes an 8 count 10-8 Valuev Round 2 Nelson a little more tentative, valuev throwing more shots, mostly arm looking punches but a lot are landing. Nelson is cut and the ref calls it KO2 Valuev Valuev is a big guy no doubt, but his punches are not snappy or really well executed, though he did throw a lot of them. As i understand it, Valuev did not have an amatuer boxing career. Nelson would take a (...double checks..) 10 year break before resuming his journeyman career. Next up Valuev meets another 300+ fighter
Valuev vs Gaines (15-4 12 KOs) June 9 1998 Gaines is 6'6 313 lbs and probably the first time hes shorter and weighs less than his opponent. Gaines isnt total garbage, he can survhve fights and he had a few upsets in his career (KO6 over Terrence Lewis and a decision over Jeff Wooden a year before this fight). But Gaines is unusually obese and all his usual advantages are going to be in the other corner tonight. Valuev is 15-0 13 KOs and is 24 years old. Round 1 Values punches look a little better since the Nelson fight but they still are more of the arm punch variety. Valuev moving quite a bit and throwing a relatively large amount of shots, none are too damaging. Gaines can't get anything going except a nice right to end the round 10-9 Valuev Round 2 Valuev throwing a weak looking jab, but Gaines keeps taking it and not coming over the top on it. Gaines lands a nice series of punches mid round but otherwise basically just comes forward, earmuff defense blocking a lot of shots but still taking some light looking shots. Valuev looks a little tired here 10-9 Valuev 20-18 Valuev Round 3 More of the same from Valuev, circling around Gaines throwing some weak push jabs, occasional combo. Gaines just coming forward and when he throws he misses a lot....a little suspicious looking. 10-9 Valuev 30-27 Valuev Round 4 Gaines finally decides to start mounting some offense. His accuracy is terrible but some stuff is getting through. Valuev not liking this. 10-9 Gaines 39-37 Valuev Huh?!? the main event is courage tshabalala vs Oleg maskaev, I'd actually like to see that, unfortunately it's not on YouTube from what I can see. Without seeing the result I could see multiple knockdowns in this fight possibly knowing these guys. The play by play guy has Gaines up 39-37. Also, the play by play guy is very wrong. Round 5 Gaines continues to come forward and is landing some decent, but sloppy, shots. These shots aren't all that hard as valuev is landing but at a lesser clip. Towards the end of the round Valuev lands a combo of right hook-left-hook-right hook-left hook and Gaines goes down, he gets back up and continues barrelling his way forward. 10-8 Valuev 49-45 Valuev Round 6 Valuev is tired and does a lot of holding this round. Gaines continues coming forward and is able to land his shots but is caught occasionally with a hook or a jab. Both 300 pounders look ready for this to end, its a close sloppy round but I think Gaines edged it 10-9 Gaines 58-55 Valuev Scores not announced, Valuev wins by unanimous decision. Final thoughts: valuev looks slightly improved since the Nelson fight, still punches are pretty robotic. I also feel like Valuev is trying to be a slick boxer but his build isn't really that. Gaines would go on to have 3 more fights, a win over journeyman Ronnie Smith, a decision loss to another Russian (who I remember being decent) Alexander Zolkin, and a KO loss to Tony Thompson Next up, another six rounder that has a boxrec description that has me scratching my head
Nikolai Valuev (19-0 16 KOs)vs Andre Sidon (1-0 1 KOs) Oh boy...couple notes about this, no sound at all and the rounds look highlighted or shortened hard to tell because replays happen in real time. Odd odd odd Round 1 Valuev looking leaner and his shots are looking sharper, oh man what's this from Valuev? Philly shell? So weird but he's throwing jabs from this position. Valuev rocks Sidon with some shots and the ref gives a standing 8. They box some more and the ref gives an unwarranted standing 8. 10-7 Valuev Round 2 Domination, Sidon isn't very good, but he keeps trying to pump the crowd up Round 3 More of the same I think. Valuev outboxing and outlanding. Now the oddness happens. The referee stops the fight with Sidon not in any trouble. Sidon is pissed, but not as pissed as the fans as they start throwing bottles and debris into the ring. Order is restored and the fight cotlntinues? Well the ref is pissed and even though boxrec says he leaves,, he doesn't. The ref just stands in the corner and does nothing for the remainder of the 6 rounds. Rounds 4-6 Valuev outboxes and outlands on Sidon. The fight ends and its a ND as the ref (who allegedly this was his first fight) threw a tantrum. Very strange fight Valuev looked way better here but his competition was abysmal. So odd seeing him go philly shell Sidon would go on to have 57 fights!!! Jeez, looks like he never really got past euro level though and became a every fringe euro contender
Nikolai Valuev (35-0 27 KOs) vs Marcelo Dominguez (37-4-1 19 KOs) I skipped ahead of what were likely all time great fights vs Bob Mirovic and Dick Ryan to see Valuev in with someone who has some real credentials. Dominguez is a 34 year old former WBC cruiserweight champion who lost his title around 6 years previously to Juan Carlos Gomez. He's been mostly fighting Argentinian domestic level fighters since then with the exception of losing decisions in cruiser title fights to Juan Carlos Gomez (again) and Johnny Nelson. Hes 5'9 so this should be quite a height difference (17 inches?). Valuev is around 30 here. Round 1 OK the Philly shell is basically gone, though he does dip his lead hand low on occasion. Valuev being patient, Dominguez mainly attacking the body but does land a nice jab to Nikolai's head and a nice right-left combo later in the round. Valuev patiently stalking throwing out some jabs and the occasional combo. Ref admonishes Dominguez for low blows (they weren't that low). Close round 10-9 Valuev (close) Round 2 Dominguez with some good head movement and starts jabbing Valuevs head. Valuev continues to stalk forward throwing jabs and the occasional combos. Much better version than the giant I saw trying to be a smooth boxer using movement. Dominguez goes cross armed defense in the middle of the round?;? 10-9 Valuev 20-18 Valuev Round 3 Valuev much better than the other fights at conserving energy as well. He's not a power puncher but the mass of his punches are knocking Dominguez back. Dominguez like a gnat is still able to land some of his shots but he may as well be hitting a brick wall. If Dominguez could avoid more of valuevs shots he would be winning some rounds 10-9 Valuev (close-ish) 30-27 Valuev Round 4 Dominguez employing more of the cross armed defense which Valuev can't figure out. Valuev continuing to come forward with a steady jab, but Marcelo is landing a bit more this round and avoiding a lot of Valuevs shots than he was earlier. Just a shame that he's a past it, over the hill, light punching overweight cruiserweight. 10-9 Dominguez (close) 39-37 Valuev Round 5 All Dominguez this round, mind you he's not hurting Valuev but he's effectively shutting down his offense and landing single shots and combos to the head. 5'9 reaching that 7'2 is pretty impressive looking 10-9 Dominguez 48-47 Valuev Round 6 Dominguez appears to not find Valuevs power all that threatening as he sits in the pocket and exchanges with Nikolai. Marcelo is also starting to land the jab from the outside. Everything you learned in physics would suggest this shouldn't happen but Valuev though not being hurt is not really winning these exchanges 10-9 Dominguez 57-57 Round 7 Close close round. Valuev begins landing some shots as Dominguez is starting to tire. But Dominguez is also landing some shots countering the stalking giant 10-9 Valuev (close) 67-66 Valuev Round 8 Domginuez getting to the inside no problem and now he's pushing forward. Valuev is throwing a lot of light arm punches and Dominguez is coming forward with combos 10-9 Dominguez(close) 77-77 Draw Actual scores 79-74, 79-74, 79-75 Obviously Valuev won here and there were enough close rounds that I'm fine with it. Crowd boos. People who think Joe Louis' title reign victims are of no threat to Valuev need to watch this fight and reevaluate their opinions. A small, past it, overblown cruiser who is not particularly fast or powerful pushed Valuev to a close decision (in my book anyway)