IT would be easy to look at7ft Nikolai Valuev and think he was a fearsome man.
Easy, and probably correct.
Even if you include the fact the ex-world heavyweight boxing champion briefly went on to become a children’s TV presenter!
The Russian, 51, is now a lawmaker in Vladimir Putin’s regime – and newly BANNED fromAzerbaijanfor “offensive statements”; against the nation.
Valuev’s mostfamous fight was a long-awaited “David vs Goliath”; WBA title clash with a much smaller Brit.
Challenger David Haye was a ‘mere’ 6ft 3ins tall but bulked up to his heaviest ever weight of 98.6kg for the 2009 bout in Germany.
But it still meant the Hayemaker went into the contest a whole 45 kiloslighter than the so-called “Beast from the East”;.
According to a quick Google search, that’s about the weight of ababy hippopotamus... or a fully-grown Bloodhound!
It was Valuev who entered the ring on the front foot looking for blood – but in the end he struggled to even find Haye.
The Londoner was too quick and mobile, usually beating the giant to the punch to win by a majority decision,114-114 116-11216-112.
Astonishingly Haye triumphed despite breaking his hand – as early as the secondround.
And his explanation of the injury only served to further build Valuev’schillingreputation.
The Hayemaker landed a blow on the Beast from the East’s head.
He broke a knuckle and likened theimpact to “hitting a brick wall”;.
Valuev, then 36, considered retiring – then had to quit anyway when it was discovered he had abenign brain tumour.
Knee problems, perhaps caused in part by his mighty frame, also hastened his departure from the ring.
And at first, he followed up his ring careerwith a traditionalpath – forming the “Nikolai Valuev Boxing School”;.
But he soon added an unusual“hat-trick”; to his repertoire.
He was elected as an MP for theRussian parliament in 2011, becominga member of the lower chamber (State Duma)with theUnited Russia party.
Valuev also took on the role ofgeneral manager of the national bandy team – a sport similar to ice hockey but with a ball.
Then came the most left-field role – hosting a kids’ TV show in 2016, from which regular appearances followed.
Valuev announced in September2022 he’d been called up by Putin to fight in the invasion of Ukraine.
But he was taken to hospital with a leg injury – and “failed”; the conscription guidelines on health reasons.
Now he’s back in the political limelight for equally controversial reasons.
Valuev claimed Russia’s neighboursAzerbaijan had been usingdiaspora groups – organisations scattered around outside their country – to engage in crime.
TheAzerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry responded quickly – with a knockout blow for any plans the Beast had for crossing the border to visit.
A statement read:“The offensive statements against Azerbaijan and our people made by Nikolai Valuev... and his threatening remarks against our country are absolutely unacceptable.
“Due to the statements made by this deputy against Azerbaijan, his name has been added to the list of individuals banned from entering the Republic of Azerbaijan.”;
He’s at least the third Russian lawmaker to receive such a ban from the country.
But if the exact number is unknown, one fact about them is surely certain.
Valuev is the only one who can boast of being thetallest and heaviest world champion in boxing history.
