And on Saturday is the big one. Ruslan Chagaev v Matt Skelton
Ruslan Chagaev (23-0-1, 17KOs) will need to shake off the ring-rust quickly come Saturday night, after a protracted 9-month break since he outboxed the giant Nikolay Valuev to win the WBA title. Although he didn't seem to hold great power nor great movement in that bout, he did enough to wrench the title away, and will get a very different fight against Skelton. Although his undefeated record is creditable, Chagaev's last two fights against Ruiz and Valuev to claim a world title may have been the easiest possible, and will need to prove himself before he's considered alongside the Klitschko's. With wins over former Skelton victims Sprott and Krence, Chagaev's biggest challenge is likely to be keeping Skelton from smothering him.
Matt Skelton (21-1, 18KOs) is a fighter I once said I would never watch fight again, after the embarrasing victory over Michael Sprott which made a laughing stock of the British heavyweight scene, and no doubt set back boxing in Britain by a few thousand fans. However, Sprott didn't come to fight, and the sucker I am, I'm giving him one more chance to win me over, and praying that it was Sprott's negativity that made Skelton impotent that night. As for his style, he'll look to get close with Chagaev and pound big chunks out of him with a rough unsettling style that will be in Chagaev's face all night long. Although being in Germany, Chagaev is deservedly a big favourite, but I think Skelton is in with a shout of doing something in this one, as long as he goes in and bullies his way to the win.
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