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Giant Heavyweight champion Nikolay Valuev stopped unworthy challenger Owen Back in the third round last night in Hannover, Germany, to retain his WBA Heavyweight crown. Beck gave it a real try but the sheer size difference was too much as he was floored twice before the referee saved him from further punishment. Valuev did what was expected of him but despite his huge physical advantages, couldn’t stop Beck landing on the inside as the American tried to take the fight to the champion.
The challenger was swinging wildly as if his only chance of winning was by landing a sledgehammer punch and he got through early with a left hook. Valuev started slow but towards the end of the first, he connected with two right hands, one of which seemed to wobble Beck momentarily.
The challenger landed two body shots to open the second and was putting up a fight but Valuev began to get through with his precise jab; stopping Beck from coming forward. Beck was still looking for wild swings but left himself open to three big right hands, the third of which sent him crashing to the canvas.
Beck rose and seemed to be okay but Valuev was now in business and tried to finish the fight there and then as he unleashed a brutal two fisted attack which Beck did very well to survive.
The third round was to be the last as Valuev finished what he had started in the second, ripping punches home, culminating in a sweeping right uppercut which sent Beck down heavily.
Somehow the challenger managed to regain his senses but he still looked very shaky as he beat the count. Another big right from the champion caught Beck flush and the referee quite rightly stopped the fight.
Valuev, 44-0 (32), who’s next fight could possibly be in America, is going to a tough fighter to beat due to his mammoth size. He remains undefeated now in 44 fights but if he wants to be regarded as the best heavyweight in the world, which at the moment he isn’t, he is going to need to beat better fighters than Owen Beck, 25-3 (18). A defence against Samuel Peter or Shannon Briggs would certainly be interesting.
