Ruslan Chagaev

would the rust be a factor...?

 

I was almost certain Chagaev would be the #2 HW and a legit threat to Wlad way back when, especially when he beat Valuev.

Somewhere between then and now, he's become a relative waste in an already wasteful division. Rumors of going blind, numbness problems, Hep C, cancelled fights with Valuev and Ibragamov and a relatively uneventful victory over Matt Skelton pretty much wrecked his career.

Here's hoping he gets it back on track somehow.

 

If he sticks to trainer's excellent game plan once again he will be the one who is called the victor once again.

I for one was quite impressed with Chagaev's performance against Valuev as I hadnt seen a single of Chagaev's fight where he hadnt been on the attack trying to take his foe out.
Chagaev,the counterboxer.I would have laughed if someone had told me before their first encounter that Chagaev was going to win that fight by outboxing his huge opponent!

 

I thought he lost to Valuev. I've never rated him. After that dodgy decision, the inactivity with the belt has been a joke. They should have stripped him when he missed the deadline. He was not exceptional enough to deserve the special status they accorded him.