Posted on 01/27/2006 7:13:21 AM PST by Callahan
MOSCOW — In any boxing club, sweat is part of the ambience, but in Russia, the sweat factor usually scores a one-two punch to the nose right from the doorway, reminding all who enter of what it smells like to be a nastoyashi muzhik, a real Russian man.
On the wall of a small neighborhood boxing club in northwest Moscow, there is a huge, grainy photo of Stanislav Stepashkin, the 1964 Olympic featherweight champion who was one of Russia's early claims to international boxing fame, and a real Russian man if there ever was one.
Stepashkin agreed two years ago to serve as president of the club, and the neighborhood boys here renamed it in his honor.
These days, another photo hangs on the dank walls next to Stepashkin's, and while the picture isn't bigger, the man assuredly is: Nikolay Valuev, crowned in December as Russia's first World Boxing Assn. heavyweight champion.
Valuev himself strode into the gym recently during his triumphant return to Russia after the title bout, in which he defeated American John Ruiz on a controversial decision in Berlin to become the tallest (7 feet) and heaviest (323 pounds) world champion in history. He's so big he usually steps into the ring over the top rope … so big that the adolescent pugilists at the Stepashkin Club would have barely been able to land a hook as high as his belly, if they had the nerve to try.
Most just craned their necks and gawked, or melted into nervous grins
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
Yikes!
That's one fugly dude....
I've seen this guy fight and he doesn't have much in the way of boxing skill. I'm still glad they gave it to him over that annoying clod Ruiz. Valuev is ugly though. Could have a long career playing James Bond villains.
Klitschko is better. Tall, strong, and talented, versus just tall and strong.
....but I'm sure not gonna tell him!
A giant walks among Russ.
This guy's a freakin' OGRE!
He's built like Andre the Giant!
Jeez, any many who steps into that ring without a gun is comiting suicide.
But does he have layers?
Great Googlymoogly.
Updated FR Excerpt and Link Only or Deny Posting List due to Copyright Complaints
"Valuev is ugly though. Could have a long career playing James Bond villains."
Looks like we've found the "missing link"....:0)
Here's another pic.
Shrek reference?
Yay! the second post and a rocky reference- LOL-reading my mind.
I WILL BREAK YOU! LOL. that movie is so great-bad!
It seems like his wife is as much a witch as that NBA player's that's been in the news lately.
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