HERE IT IS!

this is from the Associated Press so It can be published here.


Saturday, January 20 2007

Knee injury KOs McCline in round 3

By Karl Freitag
WBA heavyweight champion Nikolai Valuev (46-0, 34 KOs) retained his title with an unsatisfying third round stoppage of Jameel McCline (38-7-3, 23 KOs) Saturday night at St Jakobshalle in Basel, Switzerland. Action was slow in round one with neither fighter landing anything of consequence. Valuev connected with a good right hand in round two and outworked McCline most of that round. McCline started to have success with combinations in round three, but after a good two-way exchange at the end of the round, McCline's left knee gave out and he crashed to the deck. McCline could not continue and Valuev was declared the winner. McCline was taken from the ring on a stretcher. A disappointed Valuev commented, "I'm very sorry that Jameel had suffered this injury. Thank you to to all the fans who have supported me here." Co-promoter Don King observed "Valuev hit him so hard he broke his knee." Next on the agenda for 'The Russian Giant' is unbeaten mandatory challenger Ruslan Chagaev, probably in April.


I wish I could brag or boast or whatever after all my Valuev hype b4 this fight.....I can't....at least not when I'm sober..

This fight really proves nothing. Its like the McCline win over Grant.
A fluke win at best. One more W for Valuev that does nothing to make his record more respectable. Really a time waster ,other than it being a W for an older guy (33) who needs to get buzy if he want's to dominate this division and the media attention. Don King's comments probably do more harm than good. He should stick to making up new words. Maybe Gigantifantastic is in the works?
BUT! maybe this is what Valuev needs...Time. he wont need to heal up or rest. Back in the gym after a short break and continue to learn how to box and use his reach, size, power etc. He will have to maximize his obvious physical advantages to overcome his disagvantages in skill and agility if he hopes to take on and defeat the very best in the division and to defend against them all, for any length of time.


Thoughts?