Portrait of Ruslan Chagaev!

April 18, 2007

Photos: UBP/ Eroll Popova

Thanks to his strong and explosive left hand, Universum boxer Ruslan Chagaev dethroned WBA world champion Nikolai Valuev, the tallest and heaviest heavyweight champion of all time who was previously unbeaten in 47 fights.

In every regard a special athlete, Chagaev joins Universum trainer Artur Grigorian as only the second world champion from Uzbekistan. He is also the fourth southpaw to wear the heavyweight crown joining Michael Moorer, Chris Byrd and Corrie Sanders.

"I am small, but I am venomous," said Chagaev after his unanimous decision over Valuev. In the ring at Stuttgart's Porsche Arena, the "Russian Giant" wasn't on the same eye level with the 6'1 Chagaev, but the "venomous" Chagaev didn't treat the seven-footer like a giant.

Chagaev's poison sting is the straight left. As an amateur, his sledgehammer punch earned him the nickname "White Tyson," a moniker he has carried into the professional ranks. Over and over again, the left crashed into Valuev's head, coming from either the outside or the inside and sometimes one right after the other. Doubling up on the left hand was the most effective weapon for the new world champion.

At the age of 28, Chagaev is the youngest of the four heavyweight world champions. WBC champion Oleg Maskaev (Kazakhstan) is already 38 years old, WBO champion Shannon brigs (USA) is 35 and IBF champion Wladimir Klitschko is 31. "Ruslan is still young and unspent," says his trainer Michael Timm. "He hasn't had any hard fights and has a great future."

Something else which allows Chagaev, who fought six of his first seven fights in the USA, to stand out from the quartet of the champions: He is only one without a defeat on his record. The other three titlists have a combined twelve defeats. Up to now, Chagaev has left the ring 23 times as a winner, 17 times by KO. Timm says, "the KO comes out of the boxing." And when it doesn't come, Chagaev wins on points. In November 2006, Chagaev outpointed former world champion John Ruiz, and in March 2006 he decisioned current European champion Wladimir Virchis, the only loss of Virchis' career. EU champion Michael Sprott (England) was unable to go the distance against the "White Tyson." He was knocked out in the eighth round.

Although the heavyweight title changed hands, three of the four current world champions still come from states of the former Soviet Union. A clear testament for the first class training of these athletes as amateurs. Chagaev was twice a world champion as an amateur, in 1997 and 2001. He is also a two-time Olympian, competing in the 1996 and 2000 games. In his outstanding amateur career, he won 82 out of his 85 fights.