Yoi.
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 ...
That sucks. The web just isn't what it used to be.
Dang, that forehead departs his eyebrows at a 45degree angle! Looks like it was forged in a Russian tank factory.
Yoi.
did he skip a few steps of the evolutionary ladder?
I thought boxers weren't allowed to wear sweaters in the ring?
Ruiz is a real journeyman and no great shakes. Despite this, Valuev only just shaded the decision and couldn't put Ruiz away.
David Tua ironed out Ruiz in one round.
Valuev is made to order for a Tua/Tyson type of fighter.
Odd you should mention that ... see my #26.... ;-)
Whoa.... Somebody tell Andy Reed about this guy!
This guy reminds me of "Toro Moreno" in the 1950's Humphrey Bogart movie "The Harder They Fall".
Seriously, I quick precision boxer could probably make mincemeat out of this lumbering giant.
Butterbean is gonna whoop his butt.
Do you mean layers like an onion or layers like a parfait?
Hey Eaker didn't you say this was the guy that ya had to whupp up on in the Piggly Wiggly parking lot ?
After beating up a doorman, it appears the guy's got a little 'roid rage going on too.
Here's another pic.
Reminds me of Ed "Too Tall" Jones.
damn that's huge
can anyone put rove's face on the guy on the left and dean's face on the guy on the right?
Eh. He's just WBA champion. That's like being the champions of the NFL Europe.
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