12.03.07 – By Scoop Malinowski: WBA Giant Nikolay Valuev came out with a statement regarding his supposed interest to unify the heavyweight boxing titles against IBF king Wladimir Klitschko. Valuev: “OF COURSE IT DEPENDS ON MY MANAGEMENT but I am ready to get in the same ring with Wladimir at any time.” I highlighted the more important part of the statement for those of you dear readers who may underscore it’s importance.
Let’s hope it’s not true but this could be Valuev’s out, his crutch, his escape hatch from ever fighting Wladimir Klitschko. It’s an old and often used trick by boxers who need protection from certain other fighters: Pin the blame on his management for not letting it happen. “My team calls all the shots out of the ring, I call all the shots in the boxing ring.”
But you do not hear Wladimir Klitschko ever talking out of both sides of his mouth regarding unification? Do you?
Neither Klitschko has ever hemmed or hawed about unification by saying things like, I will fight him but only if my management team lets me. You will hear Floyd Mayweather and a host of other fighters say they let their management teams call all the shots or the price has to be right, but Wladimir Klitschko is not one of them. All boxing fans should be well aware by now that Klitschko confidently welcomes unification against any of the other title-holders.
If Valuev is his own man and not some kind of ridiculous giant puppet for his masters, he will step up and order his advisors, managers and promoters to make the fight happen. After all, Sauerland and King work for Valuev, he does not work for them. Valuev calls the shots and if he can’t order his employees to make unification reality, then Don King ought to be questioning the balls, the heart and the chin of Mr. Valuev.
Nikolay Valuev owes only one more fight option to Don King. After the Ruslan Chagaev defense next month, Don King is out on the street, he’s out of Valuev’s life and career. But there are rumblings that Valuev wants to and will re-hire Don King as his 50% promoter.
If Valuev does this, you have to suspect, given King’s absolute refusal to honestly engage in even up unification talks with either Klitschko (without demanding options) if Valuev secretly wants to hide behind King and use King as a shield from having to ever fight a Klitschko.
Time will soon tell us if Valuev truly is ready to get in the same ring with Wladimir “ANY TIME” as he says. Or time will tell if he’s just mouthing such an intent because his masters told him to – as an attempt to enhance his image with empty words and tough talk.
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