Valuev can’t wait to get back in ring to fight Chagaev for WBA heavyweight title

Valuev gets another shot at Chagaev in WBA bout

HELSINKI — The long wait is nearly over for Nikolai Valuev, who defends his WBA heavyweight title against Ruslan Chagaev on Saturday night.

“I’ve been waiting for this day for two years,” Valuev said ahead of the bout at Hartwall Arena.

The 7-foot Russian, the tallest and heaviest champion ever, suffered the only loss of his pro career in April 2007 when Chagaev took a close majority decision in Stuttgart, Germany.

After Chagaev withdrew from two scheduled rematches with Valuev because of a ruptured Achilles’ tendon, he was named “champion in recess.”

Valuev exudes confidence going into the fight, which has been dubbed “The Revenge of the Giant.”

“This is the most important fight of my career,” he said. “I want to erase the only loss of my career. I am happy to finally get the chance and fight Chagaev. I am very confident of success.”

Valuev, 50-1 with 34 KOs, said that he had not been prepared for the earlier fight.

“Now, I’ve trained three months for this rematch,” Valuev said. “Stuttgart and Helsinki are like night and day. I’ve had to wait too long for a return match, more than two years.”

Valuev’s trainer, Alexander Zimin, also was optimistic.

“Nikolai has worked very hard in practice,” Zimin said. “We have emphasized on improving his speed and his technical abilities. We are very confident.”

Chagaev, 25-0-1 with 17 KOs, was more cautious.

“I am very calm but also a little bit tense but that is quite normal so close to the fight,” he said.

But Chagaev’s trainer, Michael Timm, was upbeat and sure Valuev’s size won’t be a problem.

“Ruslan proved that he can overcome the size difference in the first fight,” Timm said. “It is tough for the smaller guy to fight a bigger one but also the other way round. Ruslan has done very well. He has returned quickly from his Achilles injury and he is pleased that the fight will finally take place.”

Valuev won the vacant WBA title in August 2008 by beating American John Ruiz in Berlin. Four months later, he defended the title against 46-year-old Evander Holyfield. The American and former heavyweight champion will watch Saturday’s fight from ringside.

Chagaev returned from his Achilles injury in February and won a technical decision over Carl Davis Drumond at Rostock, Germany — the Uzbekistan-born boxer’s first fight in more than a year.

Chagaev expressed bitterness about having lost the title to Valuev last year without a bout because he was unable to fight due to his injury.

“I have beaten Valuev in a title fight. I will right the wrong that I have experienced with my fists in Helsinki,” Chagaev said.

Chagaev said that he has to be “both technically and tactically smart” when he faces Valuev, saying that he had sparred with men who are as tall as basketball players.

“It will be interesting to see what weapons I’ll have in the ring,” Chagaev said.

Many tickets were still available the day before the fight at Hartwall, an arena that seats 13,500 for ice hockey games and more than 15,000 for boxing.

Chagaev gets 55 percent of the $2.8 million purse. Valuev, the bookies’ favorite, will get 45 percent.

This will be only the second world title fight in the Finnish capital. Davey Moore of the United States knocked out Olli Maki of Finland in 1962 to retain his world featherweight title.

Associated Press Writer Matti Huuhtanen contributed to this report.