Nikolai Valuev was born in 1973 in Leningrad, Russia. He began his boxing career in 1993 and became a professional boxer. Valuev had a successful career, winning the Russian heavyweight title in 1999 and the PABA heavyweight title in 2000, which he defended multiple times. In 2005, Valuev became the first Russian world heavyweight champion by defeating John Ruiz by majority decision to win the WBA heavyweight title. Valuev went on to defend his title successfully against opponents like Owen Beck and Jameel McCline before controversially retaining it against Evander Holyfield in 2008 via majority decision.

1. Nikolai Valuev

2. Nikolai Valuev was born on August 21, 1973 in Leningrad in the
Russian-Tatar family. Parents boxer - Sergei and Nadezhda
Valuev. The most "big" boxer already in kindergarten was taller
than the tall guys on the head.
The school played basketball. In the national team Frunze Youth
became the national champion in basketball among young
toddlers.
After school, he entered the Institute. PFLesgaft in St. Petersburg,
but the institution is not finished. Also studied at the church
school.
The first training session on boxing Nikolay Valuev was the spring
of 1993. And in October, the debut of a boxer Valuev in the
professional ring. The first coach and later manager and promoter
Nicholas was Oleg Shalaev. Since 2000, coached by Nikolai Valuev
honored trainer Manvel Gabrielyan Oganesovich. In 2004, a
contract was signed with a German promoter Wilfried Sauerland,
who organizes fights to date.

3. Married (wife Valuev (Dimitrov)
Galina - 26 July 1977), a son
(Gregory - February 26, 2002 born)
and daughter (Irina - March 2, 2007
birth).

4. Professional Career
Nikolai Valuev joined the professionals in 1993 , having spent only a little
more than a dozen fights an amateur boxer . January 22, 1999 in St.
Petersburg in the fight against Alexey Osokina won the title of champion of
Russia among professionals , which on 15 December of the same year he
defended in a fight against Alexey Varakina .
In between battles , May 7 , hosted a fight against Valuev German
Andreas Sidon . Valuev twice sent his opponent to the canvas . In the 3rd
round, the referee stopped the fight . The public , unhappy with premature
stop pelted the ring with bottles . Sidon provoked Valuev to continue. In
the 6 -round bout was stopped , and announced it would «no contest
( fight declared invalid ) ."
June 6, 2000 Nikolai Valuev in a fight against the Ukrainian Yuri Elistratova
won the title Pan-Asian Boxing Association ( PABA , PABA)) in the
heavyweight division . Dvenadtsatiraundovy battle, which took place in St.
Petersburg, was a busy one , and the winner was determined by points.
Subsequently, Nikolai Valuev defended the title five times champion of
PABA (PABA) in the battle against Tony Fiso , George Lindberg Toakipy
Tasefy , Taras Bidenko and Pedro Daniel Franco.

5. July 21, 2002 in South Korea hosted a fight Valuev vs.
Haye undercard Ukrainian Taras. It was only the 4th Haye
undercard bout, yet he came up against formidable foe for
the 12-round bout. Valuev possessed an advantage in the
1st half of the fight, but towards the end began to tire. In
the 12th round Valuev could hardly stand on his feet. Haye
undercard was close to victory by knockout. However
Valuev dostoyat to the end and won on points.
July 24, 2004 took the fight against Nikolai Valuev Nigerian
Richard Bango, won by TKO in the sixth round of the
Nikolai Valuev won the Intercontinental Championship in
the professional version WBA (WBA). Later, Nicholas
defended the title four times. The outcome of the fight was
controversial. Valuev sent to the knockdown Bangguo
banned in boxing blow to the head. The referee ignored the
violation and opened the scoring. In response, the angle
Bangguo took his fighter to fight.

6. December 17, 2005 , won a victory in his 44th fight, Nikolai Valuev
became Russia's first world champion in the professional heavyweight
champion, the World Boxing Association ( WBA , WBA), winning a majority
decision of John Ruiz. On the eve of the battle of Berlin Nikolai Valuev was
present in the church at a gala Sunday service , where he received the
blessing of the St. Alexander Nevsky Church of Potsdam archpriest Anatoly
Carols [3]. Winning the battle for the title went to Valuev is not easy. At
the end of the battle dvenadtsatiraundovogo two judges gave preference
to Nicholas , and one judge determined a draw. Result as the previous
fight Valuev vs. Donald , has been controversial . At a press conference
after the fight Nikolai Valuev said [4 ] : I've been waiting 12 years and
then, finally, came. I expected that the battle will not be short . And it
did . Fortunately, all ended well . Lightweight championship belt , but the
fight was heavy. Today - a great day for me
After acquiring the title of world champion as new contenders for the
championship belt called Wladimir Klitschko and the Pole Andrew Golota .
However, the first defense of the title of World Champion Nikolai Valuev
held June 3, 2006 against the Jamaican boxer Owen Beck . TKO in the
third round in the battle won Nikolai Valuev successfully defended his
world title .

7. January 20, 2007 Nikolai Valuev spent third consecutive voluntary
defense of the world title against American Jameel McCline. This
fight, held in the arena of St. Jacob Hall in Basel, Switzerland, has
been recognized as the "heavy" in the history of boxing. The total
weight of the boxers has made almost 272 kg (600 lb). [14] The
battle was won by TKO in the third round. McCline refused to
continue the fight, citing a left knee injury, so that the victory was
awarded to Valuev.
In December 2008, a fight between Nikolai Valuev and Evander
Holyfield. Most of the American fight "dancing" around the
Russian, occasionally punching precise and clear hooks. Valuev
was trying to beat the jab, but it does not always help. Action by
the boxers almost was not. In a close battle, the judges gave the
decision of a majority of votes win the champion. Hall booed the
decision. Among boxing experts opinions regarding the winner of
the battle is divided: the majority of Russian journalists felt that
the Russians won, while Western analysts have expressed the
view that Holyfield was robbed by the judges