# This Russian boxer must be a publicity stunt. Right? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 6, 2006, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-russian-boxer-must-be-a-publicity-stunt-right/375551 "2006-10-06T20:54:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![teela\_brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@teela\_brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teela_brown)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2006, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-russian-boxer-must-be-a-publicity-stunt-right/375551/1 "2006-10-06T20:54:50Z")
Someone in the office had a boxing magazine, and I saw a picture of this ginormous [Russian boxer](http://www.sevensquared.com/blog/archives/beastfromtheeast.jpg). Is he really a legit fighter, or is he a photo opportunity? All I know is, if I was Bugs Bunny in the ring and saw this guy coming at me, I don’t think “Think fast, rabbit” would do me any good at all. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2006, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-russian-boxer-must-be-a-publicity-stunt-right/375551/2 "2006-10-06T20:58:02Z")
Looks kind of how I pictured sasquatch to look like. ---
**Author:** ![Jimmy\_Chitwood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f475e1/32.png) [@Jimmy\_Chitwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jimmy_Chitwood)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2006, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-russian-boxer-must-be-a-publicity-stunt-right/375551/3 "2006-10-06T21:02:57Z")
[Nikolay Valuev](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikolai_Valuev) is the current WBA world champion, and is undefeated. ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2006, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-russian-boxer-must-be-a-publicity-stunt-right/375551/4 "2006-10-06T21:04:09Z")
That’s Nikolai Valuev. I haven’t seen him fight, but the word on the street is that he big but untalented…the Shaq of boxing, if you will. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Jimmy\_Chitwood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f475e1/32.png) [@Jimmy\_Chitwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jimmy_Chitwood)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2006, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-russian-boxer-must-be-a-publicity-stunt-right/375551/5 "2006-10-06T21:05:34Z")
Shaq’s extraordinarily talented. ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2006, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-russian-boxer-must-be-a-publicity-stunt-right/375551/6 "2006-10-06T21:08:26Z")
I know, I just couldn’t resist the cheap shot. Valuev is fighting Monte Barrett in a title fight on HBO this weekend. [Story](http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/4241405.html) ---
**Author:** ![teela\_brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@teela\_brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teela_brown)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2006, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-russian-boxer-must-be-a-publicity-stunt-right/375551/7 "2006-10-06T21:17:25Z")
::reading **Jimmy Chitwood** ’s link:: Great Caesar’s ghost, he’s a real boxer. I might just pay to watch this one, not that I’m a boxing fan. But it should be some spectacle, if not a massacre. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2006, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-russian-boxer-must-be-a-publicity-stunt-right/375551/8 "2006-10-06T21:18:20Z")
He has little hands… ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2006, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-russian-boxer-must-be-a-publicity-stunt-right/375551/9 "2006-10-06T21:25:48Z")
[QUOTE=teela brown] ::reading **Jimmy Chitwood** ’s link:: Great Caesar’s ghost, he’s a real boxer. I might just pay to watch this one, not that I’m a boxing fan. But it should be some spectacle, if not a massacre. [/QUOTE] Could be, but that photo in your OP is his last fight with John Ruiz that went to a decision that a lot of people thought should have went to Ruiz. Ruiz’ corner went nuts when he lost the decision and tried to grab the belt away. Some people are saying that he’s just a sideshow and wouldn’t have a belt if the heavyweight scene wasn’t currently in such sorry shape. Like I say, I haven’t seen him fight and can’t say myself, but the heavyweight scene in general right now is pretty bad. All the real action’s in the lower weight classes. ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2006, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-russian-boxer-must-be-a-publicity-stunt-right/375551/10 "2006-10-06T21:41:04Z")
[QUOTE=Inigo Montoya] He has little hands… [/QUOTE] Yeah, it probably takes two hands for him to jack it. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2006, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-russian-boxer-must-be-a-publicity-stunt-right/375551/11 "2006-10-06T23:28:34Z")
Valuev is exactly Shaq’s size. He doesn’t need skill if his opponents can only punch his chest, and even that’s cushioned with bear hair. There’s an interesting article about him in the current Sports Illustrated, if you’re really interested. “The sweet science”, it used to be called … ---
**Author:** ![GusNSpot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gusnspot/32/436_2.png) [@GusNSpot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GusNSpot)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2006, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-russian-boxer-must-be-a-publicity-stunt-right/375551/12 "2006-10-07T17:56:46Z")
They fight without mouth guards? I did not see a mouth guard in the OP’s pic. Both fighters had their mouths open. WTF??? ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2006, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-russian-boxer-must-be-a-publicity-stunt-right/375551/13 "2006-10-07T18:15:12Z")
[Here - Heavy weight Valuev clocks in at 328 lbs. for title fight vs. Barrett](http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/more/10/05/bc.box.valuev.barrett.ap/index.html) ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2006, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-russian-boxer-must-be-a-publicity-stunt-right/375551/14 "2006-10-07T20:15:12Z")
He fights late tonight. A blow by blow shall be posted on Ye Olde Dope. ---
**Author:** ![yBeayf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/e274bd/32.png) [@yBeayf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yBeayf)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2006, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-russian-boxer-must-be-a-publicity-stunt-right/375551/15 "2006-10-07T20:43:31Z")
It’s good to know I’m not the only one who thought of [Soda Popinski](http://www.fishkite.com/images/2006/jan/SodaPopinskilives.jpg). ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2006, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-russian-boxer-must-be-a-publicity-stunt-right/375551/16 "2006-10-07T21:08:05Z")
Holy fuck, it’s [Zangief](http://www.8bitjoystick.com/archives/jake_recommended_2d_fighting_games.php)! ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2006, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-russian-boxer-must-be-a-publicity-stunt-right/375551/17 "2006-10-07T21:56:30Z")
Don’t you dare bust on Zangief. He was the most devastating character in Street Fighter if you could get in on your opponent. Thank god they gave him that fireball-dispeller.