Published: 29 April, 2009, 17:53
Edited: 29 April, 2009, 17:53
At a media-conference in Helsinki prior their bout on May 30, Nikolay Valuev and Ruslan Chagaev couldn’t decide on who the ‘real’ WBA boxing heavyweight champion is, Fightnews.com reports.
The fight will become the first heavyweight title match to be held on Finnish soil and a chance for Russian Giant Valuev (50-1, 34 KOs) to take revenge for the only loss in his professional career.
“I am coming to Helsinki to show that I am the real champion. I have made a lot of key changes since the defeat two years ago. I have appointed a new head coach, Alexander Zimin. He has changed my training routine completely and has made me a much better fighter. I have improved a lot. I have no doubts that I will leave the ring victorious this time out,” Nikolay Valuev said.
Valuev and Chagaev, nicknamed the White Tyson, first fought on April 14, 2007, and the Uzbek boxer won on points to relieve the Russian of his WBA title. The return match was cancelled because Chagaev had an injury.
The Uzbek fighter was named ‘champion in recess’ after that, and received a chance to fight the reigning champion after recovering. Valuev claimed the vacant belt after beating Sergey Liakhovich from Belarus.
Chagaev (25-0, 17 KOs) had his own opinion on who the champ is. He appeared at the event in Helsinki wearing a T-shirt with words ‘The Real Champion’ printed on the back.
“I don’t understand what all that talk is about. I am the champion,” he said.
Promoter Kalle Sauerland made it clear that the WBA officially lists Valuev as the ‘WBA heavyweight champion’, with Chagaev being the ‘champion in recess’.
He also said the fight will be a big event in boxing and attract a lot of fans.
“This will be a global happening which people all over the world will be eager to see. We expect a worldwide TV audience of roughly 100 million people,” Kalle Sauerland said.