Big Nic Valuev To Face McCline
By Robert Ecksel December 3rd, 2006Unification? Fuhgetaboutit! Nicolay Valuev to meet McCline
WBA heavyweight champion Nikolay Valuev (44-0, 33 KOs), 33, aka the Big Russian, aka the crown jewel in Don King’s heavyweight stable, has decided against attempting to unify boxing’s marquee division and will instead defend his crown against perennial contender, and massive overachiever, Jameel McCline (38-6-3, 23 KOs), 36, on January 20 at the St. Jakob-Halle in Basel, Switzerland, the BBC reports.
The seven-foot/300-plus-pound Valuev, who was victorious if less than earth shattering in his last defense in October against Monte “Two Gunz� Barrett, shouldn’t have too much trouble with McCline, who has failed both times he challenged for the title, against Wladimir Klitschko in 2002 and Chris Byrd in 2004.
McCline may surprise everyone and pull a Shannon Briggs, ala his bout with Sergei Liakhovich earlier this month, and score an upset against the Big Russian, but it looks like the plan is for Valuev, who won the WBA title over John Ruiz late last year and is undefeated in 45 fights, to be given a steady stream of relatively easy marks for his next few fights so that before we know it, Valuev will have surpassed Rocky Marciano’s 49-0, his longstanding record at the time of his retirement in 1956.
Now that will be a big cause for celebration.
December 3rd, 2006 at 2:48 pm
This is bull. Value has fought 45 bums rocky fought the best of his era (with the exception of joe louis who was past his prime) and all value has to do is walk thru a few more bums and will beat rockys record. Marciano would of caned this so called champion Value, the freakshow!
December 3rd, 2006 at 3:43 pm
Totally agree, Scott.
Valuev needs to stop taking easy fights.
December 3rd, 2006 at 5:16 pm
lame. LAME.
December 3rd, 2006 at 5:21 pm
Why even pay it any mention….Valuev is a joke and we all know it. Rocky means more….just like Ruth and Aaron mean more than Bonds…
Then again, I would have no problem if the fight is good…Don’t sleep on McCline…..
December 3rd, 2006 at 5:34 pm
valuev is nothing man,easy fights.but jamill could try.
December 3rd, 2006 at 6:06 pm
WHO CARES!
December 3rd, 2006 at 6:41 pm
i have seen worse heavyweight matchups , mcline is not that bad , Don King is just milking the system here after this fight he will have to step up the competition a bit for valev if wants the fight to be aired on HBO or showtime, only roy jones and floyd mayweather can get away with fighting three unranked fighters in a row on a main event premium fightcard,
December 3rd, 2006 at 6:46 pm
Just one more easy victory for Valuev. Except for one thing what has McCline done to deserve another beating. All in All that’s what’s going to happen.
December 3rd, 2006 at 7:00 pm
Robert E. you are usually on the money, but we can’t compare this guy to Rocky and nor should we celebrate it … McCline an overachieve? To me, he’s a classic underachiever. Sad thing is, he may win this fight.
December 3rd, 2006 at 7:17 pm
Tony, I was being sarcastic, which seldom works with the written word and I should know better. Mea culpa. You’re right about Rocky. He and Valuev shouldn’t be spoken of in the same breath. One was born to fight and one was born to grow. And I called McCline an overachiever because he turned to boxing at the age of 26 or thereabouts without any amateur experience which, considering how far he has gone, even though he has fallen short when it really counted, is quite an accomplishment.
December 3rd, 2006 at 7:48 pm
I really wish McCline would give it all he has for once. I really believe if he does that he will win this thing. Come on McCline.
December 3rd, 2006 at 9:28 pm
mate get off Nic’s back,stop beleiving the bullshit U.S. hype an give this guy credit for surviving years of exploitation 2 make a nice career 4 himself,as far as saying he’s fought bums his whole career and that Rocky fought such great opposition,take out the ancient Joe Loius and a old Walcott read the win loss record of his opponents bro
December 4th, 2006 at 12:30 am
Same old story with the heavyweights. All these has-beens get connected with a promotor and keep getting title shots with zero merit. What exactly has McCline done since losing to Byrd, Brock, and that Yuri guy to earn a shot??? The sad thing is that the old chumps are beating these “champions” and becoming alphabet titleists.
I thought once Shannon Briggs drew with Frans Botha and lost to McCline, we were done with him. But he hooks up with King, beats a bunch of no-hopers, and then beats an average “champ” in Liakhovich, and he’s a champion again. Same thing with Maskaev. He gets knocked out by Goofi Whitaker and T-Rex Sanders, but still manages to get another shot at Rahman and knocks him out again.
The heavyweights are a joke right now and Valuev is the biggest joke of all, literally and figuratively. He’s got a title but he’s still a sideshow attraction who has proven only that he’s big. I think the Rock is a little over romanticized with his undefeated record, but the Big Russian still can’t be mentioned in the same breath.
December 4th, 2006 at 4:34 am
King is feeding his beltholder these soft fighters in order to eventually set up a match with Shaquille O’Neal, who has made it known that he wants to give boxing a shot as soon as he retires from the NBA after the current season ends. O’Neal has already made plans to train at Chris & Angelo Dundee’s gym in Miami in preparation for his new career. King knows full well the kind of money a fight between these two gigantic fighters would generate. I’d pay to see that match myself - who wouldn’t?
December 4th, 2006 at 6:03 am
Valuev is just another classic case of the Rocky BALBOA champion, not the Rocky Marciano champion. He is a champion who became one, not on his talents but on his opportunity in beating, albeit controversially, a so-so champion in John Ruiz. Now his management will steer him clear of any REAL competition and pad his record with deadbeats and/or over-the-hill contenders.Let’s hope that McCline can muster some of his former self and rock Valuev into oblivion.
December 4th, 2006 at 10:30 am
Robert E. No mea culpas necessary. Sarcasm doesn’t always translate, I should have known better. Love the site by the way. True, McCline is a good story. Just seems to freeze in the big ones.
December 4th, 2006 at 11:39 am
Anyone else out there think that Larry Merchant is smashed when he is reporting? I cannot stand to hear him speak! He offers nothing! I am from the Howard Cowsell days and he is the only one that really bopthers me!
Valuev is boring! He like Larry is boring and offers nothing! Rocky fought all comers! New, ranked and has beens! But he fought them all! Look at the time frame Rocky did this too! Not months between fights! Or nearly a year! Weeks in most cases!
Where are all the good heavy weights? For that matter; all the good fighters! None are left at all!
December 4th, 2006 at 2:47 pm
rocky also fought guys past their prime(how old was moore and louis?) and ducked patterson.
December 4th, 2006 at 2:59 pm
‘King’ is one of the biggest cockroaches in modern boxing,a master in exploiting boxers and creating hype, and now attempts to destroy one of the greatest ever heavyweight boxers historic achievement which was gained through true competitive bouts against the best fighters in the division by handing Kings Kong the easiest bouts possible to make a mockery of pugilistic history. Im pretty tempted to turn pro myself and fight the lowest ranked heavies in the world,pensioners welcome ,,,makes no difference so long as i beat Valuevs record….if all top contenders were to use this tactic im sure the record could be doubled however some people want to fight the best to be the best.The sooner King dissapears from boxing the better the sport will be for all.
December 4th, 2006 at 3:20 pm
I havent figured out why people were crowning him the next unified champion, Im glad to see like minded people. He reminds me of Ty briggs if anyone remebers him he was a bodybuilder was 23-0 with like 2o something kos fighting as a superheavy , well he disapared and this fool will follow. Whats sad is Mcline might be the best fighter he fought what kind of champion is that. If the road to the championship was thru barret,ruiz we would have alot of belt holders. I would love to see him lose but its going to be tough when he fights bums, Mcline fights like a little guy maybe that will help?
December 4th, 2006 at 3:21 pm
What’s next for Nico?
A matchup with Andrew Golota? (LOL)
December 4th, 2006 at 4:06 pm
NEITHER OF THEM DESERVE TO BE CHAMPION! VALUEV HASN’T HAD MUCH COMPETETION & MCCLINE IS A WEAK, LAZY UNDERACHIEVER. IT’S JUST GOING TO BE WORSE WHEN MCCLINE WINS (IT COULD HAPPEN) AND THEN HE GOES UP AGAINST BRIGGS. NOW THERE IS A FIGHT I’D PAY ABOUT A BUCK & A HALF TO SEE. ( JUST GIVE ME A CREDIT ON MY DIRECTV BILL). THE WHOLE DIVISION IS IN A SORRY STATE. WHAT TWO HEAVY WEIGHTS WOULD YOU PAY $49.95 TO SEE FIGHT? TYSON VS ALI? OOOPS. AT LEAST THE THRILLA IN MANILA IS ON FREEBEE TV NOW & AGAIN.
December 4th, 2006 at 11:49 pm
Valuevs promoters are only taking a similar path as wladimir to test valuevs true potiental. Only to have a showdown with wladimir eventually. Thats my opinion anyways.
December 5th, 2006 at 3:30 am
valuev is a joke. rocky marciano is not the best either. if there was a point that could parallel these two heavyweight was that both didnt face tough opposition suited for their respective classes.
valuev is fighting bums (as long as he avoid facing other champs, hell be fine at where he is right now). rocky fought champions way past their prime: 37 y/o louis, 38 y/o walcott, 42 y/o archie moore. old archie floored him at 2nd rd, walcott got him kneelin at the opening rd. marcianos toughest test in the ring was given by then 33 y/o charles, who was already at the downfall of his career.