If Valuev is going to win the chances to see another unification at the end at '08 are pretty good - can you say Valuev vs. Klitschko?
The WBC has the most history, it's been around for 46 years if my math is correct. The WBO is a joke belt, and always has been, the WBA has been held mostly by Ruiz throughout the majority of the 2000s, enough said. I would only rank the IBF ahead of the WBC at the moment, Peter is as much of a champion as Chagaev, if not more. You dont see him backing out of fights, plus his fights are alot more enertaining.
I don't think Chagaev is overly interested in unification, however facing Valuev is a major task, But Valuev's handlers have kept him as safe as well, I'm not sure they would be interested in unifying, it appears Wlad and Peter are the only ones ready to step up.
Sauerland has alot of options if Valuev wins against Chagaev. First he can throw in Valuev vs. Wlad to make a fortune and if the big fella doen't beat the younger Klitschko he can give his youngster Povetkin a chance vs. Wlad - and make also alot of money.
IIRC Valuev was very open about wanting a fight with Wlad after the Ray Austin dreck. It was a hotly discussed POTENTIAL face off...then Valuev either lost his strap to Ruslan OR Wlad agreed to a Brewster fight, I'm not sure which happened first. Ruslan probably has no real interest in unification...he wanted it....then pulled out of the fight because of a "mysterious illness" and is taking the road all too often traveled with fights against Skelton, Valuev and if word be correct John Ruiz.
I actually hope Valuev wins just for the sake of Wlad vs Valuev - battle of the Giants, at the Giants Stadium, New Jersey.
Wlad said there was no point in taking the Valuev fight, as Valuev had just lost to Chagaev, and was title-less. So the Valuev promoter's offer to try and make Wlad Valuev was after Valuev had lost his title. As for the upcoming Valuev Chagaev rematch..................I don't see Valuev or Chagaev, either one, being very likely to unify, but I hope I am wrong. And this will be a very boring fight that sees Valuev winning on points.
Valouev is Chagaev' mandatory and it will happen. Don King is a co-owner of Valoeuv, so................. Vlad has two mandatories, Povetkin and Thompson.
If Chagaev wins convincingly, that makes him number two in my eyes, since wins against Valuev (twice), Skelton, Virchis, Ruiz, Sprott, and even Rob Calloway are better than wins against McCline, Toney (twice), and Maskaev. However the much improved Valuev is a tall order for anyone at this point, and I see Nikolai stopping him late this time.
I think it will be a closer fight than the last one and Valuev will win a controversial decision. I hope he wins so we could see Valuev vs Klitschko or Peter. Both are interesting matchups.
Don King recently stated he wanted Peter and Valuev to unify once they won their bouts vs. Maskaev and Chagaev.