By Per Ake Persson

So was ex-heavyweight champ Nikolai Valuev exposed by David Haye and before that by Evander Holyfield and Ruslan Chagaev as "just" a giant, incapable of boxing? Some seem to think so, not me though. I think it´s a case of a fighter who´s getting old, simple as that. More...

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© Jane Warburton / Saddo Boxing

Saturday night at the Veltins Arena in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, two British boxers fought on an historical boxing occasion due to the number of people that had packed in the venue.

Paul Butlin and Michael Sprott boxed on the undercard of the Wladimir Klitschko vs. Ruslan Chagaev world heavyweight title headliner in front of a massive crowd of 61,000.

Butlin of Melton Mowbray faced Johnathan Banks of Detroit in an eight round heavyweight contest. More...

© Jane Warburton / Saddo Boxing

In the early hours of Sunday morning, media gathered in the press room allocated at the Veltins Arena, Germany for the post-fight press conference of Wladimir Klitschko and defeated Ruslan Chagaev.

Chagaev looked completely dejected as he sat on the top table. Wearing a peaked cap - he quietly sat alongside his trainer, diverting his eyes from the gaze of the watchful press in attendance.

Obviously, most of the talk was in German, however, there were some questions in English.

Question: Who will you fight next?

Wladimir Klitschko: "There is still the American, Chris Arreola, who is unbeaten and there is Alexander Povetkin, also still unbeaten and also David Haye. More...

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© Jane Warburton / Saddo Boxing

Last night, at the Veltins-Arena, Gelsenkirchen, Germany, 61,000 people enjoyed a night of boxing and entertainment in the home of Schalke F.C.

It was indeed the biggest and most lavish boxing event I’ve ever witnessed.

There were seven fights in total - but of course - everyone was there to see the Heavyweight clash between immensely popular Wladimir Klitschko and Ruslan Chagaev.

Michael Buffer made the usual introductions and entering the ring first - to the sounds of ‘Guess who’s back?’ - came the Challenger Chagaev proudly sporting a Schalke F.C. tshirt. Shoots of fire and sparkling fireworks lit up the arena (inside!) to welcome the Champion who entered the ring amidst an entourage of red-track-suits with the three belts held aloft. More...

© Jane Warburton / Saddo Boxing

So, Wladimir Klitschko is still WBO and IBF World Heavyweight Champion, after a 10th round TKO victory over previously unbeaten Ruslan Chagaev.

But what did this fight tell us that we didn't already know regarding the stagnating heavyweight division? The answer is very little.

Chagaev, a late replacement for British contender David Haye, was coming into the fight having trained in previous months for a much bigger opponent, in 7 footer Nikolai Valuev. More...

© Jane Warburton / Saddo Boxing

All eyes in the boxing world will be on Veltins Arena tonight in Gelsenkirchen, Germany as WBO/IBF/IBO heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko puts his belts and top standing in the division on the line against WBA champion in recess Ruslan Chagaev.

Klitschko, 52-3 (46), comes into the bout after having trained for ex-cruiserweight world champion David Haye and now must adjust for a completely different opponent in the form of Chagaev.

Where Haye is a big punching, fast-handed right hander who likes to go after opponents with all guns blazing, Chagaev, 25-0-1 (17), is a crafty, patient southpaw with less power than Haye but better pure boxing skill. More...

**With Slideshow**

© Jane Warburton / Saddo Boxing

At 2.00 PM this afternoon, at the impressive Karstadt Sports Store in Dortmund, Germany, media and fans gathered to witness the official weigh-in of Wladimir Klitschko and Rusland Chagaev ahead of tomorrow night's heavyweight contest at Veltins Arena in Gelsenkirschen.

Introduced by Michael Buffer, both men made their entrances to huge support from the waiting crowd. Wladimir arrived wearing his red Team Klitschko tracksuit alongside trainer Emmanuel Steward.

Wladimir’s elder brother Vitali, the WBC Heavyweight Champion, came along to keep an eye on proceedings.

Looking ’steely-cool’, IBF/WBO Champion Wladimir towered over his opponent, Chagaev, who looked far more relaxed than he appeared at Monday's press conference. More...

Earlier this week at a press conference held at Real Hypermarket in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, Irish boxer Andy Lee confirmed to SaddoBoxing that he was ‘feeling great’ and ‘looking forward to Saturday night’ when he is scheduled to fight Latvian Olegs Fedotovs in an eight round middleweight contest at Veltins Arena.

A smiling Lee looked happy as he took time out to pose for photographers after the conference between headliners Wladimir Klitschko and Ruslan Chagaev, who will contend for three of the four major heavyweight titles on Saturday.

Southpaw Lee has an impressive 17 win record with 13 of those wins coming by way of knockout and just 1 loss.

Born in Limerick, Ireland, Lee now resides in Michigan, U.S.A. and trains under Emmanual Stewart.

Also on the undercard, British boxer Paul Butlin faces Johnathan Banks of Michigan in an eight round heavyweight contest and Michael Sprott of Reading, England faces Alexander Ustinov of Atlanta, Georgia.

Sprott has some impressive names on his record which includes Saturdays’ headliner Chagaev, who Sprott lost out to three years ago.

“Fast” Eddie Chambers has been training relentlessly for his July 4th showdown with undefeated Alexander Dimitrenko which will take place in Hamburg, Germany.

Chambers has been training at the Fernwood Resort in Bushkill, Pennsylvania which is up in the Pocono Mountains. More...

**With Slideshow**

© Jane Warburton / Saddo Boxing

Yesterday, at Real Hypermarkert in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, Media gathered for the official press conference between Wladimir Klitschko and Ruslan Chagaev ahead of their clash at the Veltins Arena in Gelsenkirchen on Saturday for the IBF, IBO, and WBO Heavyweight titles.

The press area was a cordoned off section of the Real retail store and - being open on one side - the conference was watched by Klitschko fans waiting to catch a glimpse of their idol. They weren’t disappointed!

Klitschko - aka ‘Dr. Steelhammer’ - entered the area to a mass of photographers as he settled into his seat on the raised platform. Wearing a bright red tracksuit (as did his entourage), Klitschko looked ‘radiant’ (an odd word for a male - I know!) and proudly sat with his three belts on display in front of him.

The challenger, Chagaev, entered wearing a dark suit. He seemed a quiet, shy man but he too sat with his WBA belt in front. More...

© K2 Promotions

Irish Middleweight prospect Andy Lee turned 25 years old today and he certainly got the birthday present he was looking for.

It has been confirmed today that the Kronk star will feature on the undercard of the Waldimir Klitschko vs. Ruslan Chagaev World Heavyweight title clash on June 20 in the Veltins Arena in Gelsenkirchen, Germany. More...

© Philip Sharkey

Today, at No.5, Cavendish Square, London, Media gathered to hear of David Haye’s disappointment that he has had to pull out of the 20th June fight against Wladimir Klitschko due to injury.

Sat alongside trainer/manager Adam Booth, Haye confirmed that he sustained a back injury after shadow-boxing. Suffering spasms in the lower back region, Haye regretfully had to withdraw from the heavyweight title bout.

He will be starting a course of aggressive physiotherapy tomorrow followed by rehabilitation and expects to be fit by the middle of July. He is intending to fight again in September. More...

The disarray caused by David Haye dropping out for his June 20 challenge of world heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko has been put to rest with the announcement that WBA "champion in recess" Ruslan Chagaev will step into the breach for the bout, scheduled for Veltins Arena in Gelsenkirchen, Germany.

Chagaev himself was scratched from a proposed rematch with Nicolai Valuev this past weekend when he allegedly failed a mandatory pre-fight Finnish medical board examination.

No official explanation as to why Chagaev allegedly failed the examination has been released and therefore it's unknown whether or not the 30 year old Uzbek southpaw will have similar problems leading up to the Klitschko bout.

On the line June 20 will be the IBF,WBO, IBO and WBA titles.

Boxing promoter Don King believes the World Boxing Association must strip Ruslan Chagaev of any claim to its heavyweight championship after the Finnish Boxing Federation reviewed blood tests and refused to allow Chagaev to participate in Saturday’s match against WBA champion Nikolai “Giant Russian” Valuev in Helsinki.

“Unfortunately for Ruslan Chagaev, he has suffered from a number of different medical maladies that have prevented him from participating in matches since at least 2003,” King said. More...

Team Ruiz has filed an official petition with the World Boxing Association asking that heavyweight Ruslan Chagaev be stripped of his “Champion In Recess” status and demanding an immediate purse bid for Valuev-Ruiz III to be held by August 30 for the World Boxing Association heavyweight title.

Two-time WBA heavyweight champion John “The Quietman” Ruiz (43-8-1, 29 KOs) is the WBA mandated Official Challenger for WBA heavyweight champion Valuev. More...

Despite the headlining Ruslan Chagaev vs. Nicolay Valuev WBA heavyweight title rematch being called off, the show at Hartwell Arena in Helsinki, Finland went on as planned last night.

Local man Juho Tolppola, 22-6-1 (9), failed in his bid to win the European Union light welter title from Italian evergreen Giuseppe Lauri, 48-6 (28), when he was DQ'd in the tenth round.

On the undercard, Colombian born Norway resident Cecilia Braekhus, 12-0 (2), defended her WBA/WBC female welterweight crowns with a points verdict over American puncher Amy Yuratovac, 6-3 (6).

Undefeated Russian light welter southpaw Denis Shafikov, 20-0 (11), gunned down Australia's John Cotterill Jr, 23-8 (10), at 2:00 of the first round while Germany based Swede heavyweight Robert Helenius, 8-0 (4), KO'd former British champ Scott Gammer, 18-4-1 (9), in the sixth of a scheduled eight rounder. More...

Upon today’s announcement that Valuev-Chagaev II has been canceled, Team Ruiz is demanding an immediate purse bid in order for Valuev vs. Ruiz III to be held by August 30 for the World Boxing Association heavyweight title.

Two-time World Boxing Association heavyweight champion John “The Quietman” Ruiz (43-8-1, 29 KOs) lost to Valuev last August 30th in Berlin by 12-round split decision. More...

Boxing promoter Don King has asked the World Boxing Association to declare Nikolai “Giant Russian” Valuev its undisputed heavyweight champion after Saturday’s match between Valuev and WBA “champion in recess” Ruslan Chagaev at Hartwall Arena in Helsinki, Finland, was cancelled. More...

The heavyweight division kicks back into action tomorrow night in the unlikely city of Helsinki, Finland when giant WBA Champion Nikolay Valuev makes the second defence of his belt against former foe and WBA Champion In Recess Ruslan Chagaev.

The two men know each other very well. Back in April, 2007, Chagaev became the only man to beat Valuev when he took a close majority verdict over 12 rounds in Stuttgart, Germany.

Chagaev, unbeaten in 26 bouts, is one of those boxers who is a nightmare to fight. Relatively small by heavyweight standards and standing 6 foot 1 inch, Chagaev more often than not outfoxes and outsmarts his rivals using the southpaw stance.

Although the 30 year old has stopped 17 of his opponents, it's interesting to note that in the last three years, only one man has been stopped legitimately.

In Valuev, Chagaev meets a giant of a man who, funnily enough, does have underrated boxing skills. Although standing a massive 7 feet tall, the Russian has won many of his title defences over the 12 round course. With only none defeat in 51 fights, Valuev has KO'd 34 opponents. More...

By Per Ake Persson

It´s rumored that WBO light heavy champ Zsolt Erdei´s next defence will be in Germany on September 5 and the opponent will none other than Universum stablemate Juergen Braehmer, the current European champ.

Braehmer defends that title June 6 in Oberhausen against Italian Antonio Brancalion and if all goes well - and Juergen is a firm favourite - the last hurdle for a showdown with Erdei should be done with. More...