Nikolai Valuev is a former world boxing champion. After a career in sports, Valuev became a Russian politician. He is a deputy of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation of the VI and VII convocations, first deputy chairman of the State Duma Committee on Ecology and Environmental Protection since December 21, 2011.
During his sports career he competed in the heavy weight category. Valuev is the world heavyweight champion according to the WBA (2005−2007, 2009), interim world heavyweight champion according to the WBA (2008−2009), champion in the heavy weight category according to the Pan-Asian Boxing Association (2000), champion of Russia in heavyweight among professionals (1999). Nikolay Valuev - Vice-President of the Russian Bandy Federation, Chairman of the public council of the ANO "Public Forum "Ecology"" since 2021.
Childhood and education of Nikolai Valuev
Nikolai Sergeevich Valuev was born on August 21, 1973 in Leningrad.
Parents - Sergei Nikolaevich Valuev - and mother - Nadezhda Mikhailovna Valueva - were factory workers.
From preschool age, Nikolai began to outstrip his peers in height. And during his school years he began playing basketball. He became the national champion in this sport among junior youths, being a student of the honored coach of Russia Anatoly Steinbok , according to Nikolai Valuev’s biography on Wikipedia.
But after some time it was discovered that the boy’s rapid growth negatively affected his coordination of movements and physical strength - the ability to withstand fatigue, endurance.
Nikolai began to engage in athletics - hammer throwing and became a master of sports.
Valuev graduated from school in 1990 and entered the National State University of Physical Education, Sports and Health. P.F. Lesgafta .
A year later he interrupted his studies (but later, in 2009, he still completed it).
Nikolai Valuev's career in boxing
At the age of twenty, Nikolai decided to try himself in boxing. His first coach was Oleg Shalaev . And already in 1993, Valuev made his debut as a professional after just a few months of training and a little more than 10 amateur fights.
Soon Nikolai became the champion of Russia among professionals in the heavyweight division (1999). In 2000, under the leadership of another mentor Samvel Gabrielyan, he won the RAVA championship title in a fight against a Ukrainian boxer. And 2004, after defeating the Nigerian Richard Bango, brought him the title of intercontinental champion.
Throughout Valuev’s entire sports career, there have been many victories and very few defeats. For example, he lost a fight in 2007 in a meeting with Ruslan Chagaev from Uzbekistan. And in 2009 he was defeated in a battle against the British David Haye .
In 2010, Ukrainian boxer Vitali Klitschko challenged Valuev to a fight, declaring that he was allegedly afraid of him.
Many boxing fans regret that these outstanding athletes never met in the ring. A year later, Valuev announced the end of his sports career, during which he fought 53 fights, won fifty victories and received many nicknames - “The Beast from the East”, “Mountain Man”, “Koli the Sledgehammer”, “Nicholas of St. Petersburg”.
Valuev became the world champion in a very controversial manner: even Evander Holyfield suffered from arbitrariness of the judges
Valuev’s career took off in 2003. Then he signed a contract with the German promotion company Sauerland Event, leaving Shalaev, who, in addition to coaching, also performed managerial functions. In 2009, Shalaev admitted that he tried to come to an agreement with Valuev both amicably and through the courts:
“It’s a shame for a state where the laws don’t work. Why don’t any of our world-class boxers have Russian promoters? I filed lawsuits to recognize my rights as a promoter, but I did not find justice there. But there is still one valid promotional contract that Valuev concluded with my company. As it turned out, our courts support the interests of foreign promoters, who calmly stole our promoted champion according to RABA. He quietly signed a contract with them and left for Germany.
He's avoiding me. And the press says that yes, I owe a lot to Oleg. He even claims that he communicates with me. It's all a lie. I recently met him at the funeral of the legendary boxer Gennady Shatkov. I approached Valuev and said: “Nikolai, we need to close the open question and go our separate ways like normal people.” We exchanged phone numbers.
I call him later, and he tells me: “I don’t see the point in meeting.” What can I say, a winged disease. He lived with me for eight years, I fed him, clothed him and pushed all the obstacles before him. He was like a little brother to me. He was not deprived of anything. I invested a lot of money in it. I no longer know a career like Valuev’s. They made him from scratch: he came to me wearing shoes with his toes sticking out, losing consciousness from hunger. And everyone knows it. And now they are making him into a great personality.”
Professional PR people began working with Valuev, and Manvel Gabrielyan became his coach, who taught him certain techniques. Even combinations came from Nikolai. The opposition in the ring has also improved significantly. Gradually he was brought to the WBA championship fight against John Ruiz. On December 17, 2005, Valuev won an extremely controversial decision by the majority of the judges - but nevertheless became the first Russian world heavyweight champion.
Even then, the concept of “German judging” appeared: even if you are a contender and the fight is equal, the judges give the victory to the local boxer.
Ruiz’s promoter was Don King: he could well have dumped the American, boring and uninteresting to the general public, for the sake of a new world champion to whom he could obtain the rights. Thus, King became Valuev’s co-promoter until the end of his career.
“When he came to me, he couldn’t box. He was just a big guy. He pressed with his superhuman strength, but had no technique. I told him: “Nikolai, we will make a boxer out of you! We will make you a champion!"
And Nikolai became one. He became one of us, he began to learn from the best. “Teach me these black things of yours,” he said. “I want to be able to dance like you.” And he learned! Now we have a huge 330 pound Russian who just dances, dances, dances. He is now invincible, he will be the best of the best. I am King, and Valuev is my Kong!” - King recalled.
Valuev did not remain champion for long. In April 2007, he was defeated by Ruslan Chagaev in a one-sided fight. But even here, one of the judges counted a draw, on the second card Chagaev was in the lead with a minimal advantage, and only the third card more or less corresponded to the course of the fight - 117:111. A year later, Nikolai regained the championship belt in his second fight with John Ruiz, and here Vauev’s victory was more convincing. But in his next fight he faced a fight against the legend of the ring, Evander Holyfield.
Despite the fact that Holyfield was already 46 years old at the time of the fight, the difference in class was obvious to everyone except the judges. Evander outboxed his opponent without much difficulty. It seemed that he would become the world heavyweight champion for the fifth time, but the judges’ decision was unexpected - 114:114, 116:112, 115:114.
The status of a ring legend did not help Holyfield, he was simply robbed: “My opinion about the result of the fight differs from the judges’ assessments. But I'm not upset by the performance. I landed more accurate shots. I thought I had won. Such judges should have their license taken away.”
Health of Nikolai Valuev
In 2009, Valuev underwent surgery in Germany to remove a benign brain tumor. Every month he undergoes the necessary therapy. The second operation took place several years later at the V.A. Almazov in St. Petersburg, however, the surgeon was also unable to completely remove the tumor, since important brain vessels are located in this place. In 2010, a tumor forced Nikolai to leave the sport.
In October 2010, Nikolai underwent surgery on his left shoulder in a Munich clinic. After this, there was still a right hand that needed surgical intervention, according to Nikolai Valuev’s biography on Wikipedia.
Nikolai Valuev said that his abnormal weight and height are a consequence of improper development of the pituitary gland. In particular, the athlete’s height is 213 centimeters, and his weight exceeded 140 kilograms. In 2010, the boxer decided to find out for himself what made him unique. From the doctor he heard a disappointing diagnosis.
“Let’s just say there’s a small, nut-shaped tumor on the pituitary gland that’s benign. Its evil is that it puts pressure on the pituitary gland, and growth hormone is produced. As a result, a person grows out of proportion. The problem can subsequently be fatal. Well, maybe not in all cases, but definitely towards early scrapping. That is, the kidneys fail, and the heart valves become depressurized. When I found out about this, I decided to have surgery. As a result, there were several of them,” Valuev was quoted as saying by StarHit.
The athlete admitted that each fight was a kind of test for him, but during a successful sports career, he simply did not know about the diagnosis.
Family, wife and children
Nikolai’s menacing appearance hardly fits or even hardly fits with the concept of “a good family man.” Meanwhile, Nikolai Valuev is happily married. His height and weight did not prevent him from living for more than 15 years in marriage with Galina Borisovna (born in 1977, Dimitrova’s maiden name). Their eldest son Gregory (born in 2002) is 13 years old, daughter Irina (born in 2007) is 8 years old, and their youngest son Sergei (born in 2012) is only three years old.
The height of Valuev’s wife only reaches his waist. Next to such a gigantic husband, Galina looks tender, fragile and tiny. Her height is only 163 cm, and her weight is 100 kg less than her husband’s weight. They may well qualify for the title of the most unusual couple in the Guinness Book of Records.
Although Valuev’s height is unusually tall, his children do not yet differ in size from their peers.
The great world fighter had to prove his worth as a good family man more than once in his life. Today, the Valuev family has apartments not only in Russia, but also abroad (in Germany), they have cars and even boats.
Income of Nikolai Valuev
According to the official website of the State Duma of Russia, which published the reports of deputies on income for 2012, the second place in terms of income, second only to Joseph Kobzon, was taken by Valuev with an income of 18.6 million rubles.
According to the declaration for 2021, Valuev earned 7,157,481.09 rubles during the year.
In Valuev’s biography, Wikipedia reports that Nikolai intends to open his own restaurant in Germany. Moreover, Nikolai plans to offer visitors a cake with figurines of the Klitschko brothers as his signature dish. He promises that he himself will defiantly eat them in public, obviously for the sake of double pleasure - moral and gastronomic.
Having an unusual appearance, Valuev appears in advertising, in particular, he entered into an agreement with a poker site, became the “face” of one of the German sausage manufacturers to advertise large-sized sausages, works as a TV presenter, and appears in films – both as “himself” and and in other character roles.
Nikolai Valuev's work on TV
After stopping performances in the ring, Nikolai demonstrates his versatile creative and political activity. He improved his education by entering MSUTU. K.G. Razumovsky , manages the boxing school he opened in 2009 in St. Petersburg (with branches in the Leningrad region), organizes the Valuev Cup boxing competitions, and popularizes sports among Russians.
In addition, he presented the book “My 12 Rounds” written with Konstantin Osipov . Together with the Russian song ensemble “Grandma’s Grandsons” he recorded a music album. The first work of the song project was “Anthem of Kuzbass”.
In 2011-2012, as a presenter, Valuev took part in the filming of the season of the program “Unknown Kuzbass” on the TV channel “My City” (Kemerovo). Several episodes were filmed, during which Valuev introduced viewers to the nature and features of the Kemerovo region, in particular, he visited Mountain Shoria, drove a BelAZ car through a quarry and, together with journalists, looked for Yeti in the mountains.
From February 16 to April 21, 2013, Nikolai was the host of the Fort Boyard game on Channel One.
In August 2021, he became the new host of the “Good night, kids!” program.
From September 1 to December 30, 2021, he is the host of the “We’ll Cure Everyone” program on the “78” TV channel. From September 22, 2021 to March 24, 2019 - author and host of the “Power of Spirit” program on the Spas TV channel.
Valuev was awarded the Order of Merit for the Fatherland, II degree (2018) - for his services in strengthening Russian statehood, the development of parliamentarism and active legislative activity.
How young they were: archival photos from the 90s
The 90s will be remembered by us as the most colorful and atmospheric.
This time has its own fashion, its own vocabulary, its own music and dances. Now, living in the new century, we can compare and say how much our lives and the lives of Russian pop stars have changed over the past almost 30 years. The years go by, and photos from the past will help us remember and feel the spirit of that time again. Alena Vodonaeva and the group “Hands Up”
Nikolay Valuev and Mikhail Krug
“Field of Miracles” with Yakubovich in 1991
Soviet and Russian pop singer, Russian political and public figure and music teacher Iosif Davydovich Kobzon (second from left) together with the top of the Ural organized crime group (OCG) called "Centers", a banquet at the Cosmos cinema, Yekaterinburg, Russia, 1993 . Then Kobzon was 56 years old. This gang has existed since the late 1980s and is one of the most powerful organized crime groups in Russia in the early 1990s. It controlled the center of Yekaterinburg, which is why it got its name.
Demis Karibidis and Garik Martirosyan 1997
“Good morning, country” with Lolita and Tsekalo (1997-2002)
Brother and accountant of MMM Vyacheslav Mavrodi. Vyacheslav is the father of Philip Gazmanov, the woman in the photo on the left is Marina Muravyova - his wife. Subsequently she married Oleg Gazmanov.
Natasha Koroleva, Igor Krutoy, Artur Gasparyan and Igor Nikolaev
Tatiana Bulanova
Lev Leshchenko
Yuri and Dmitry Malikov
group "Ivanushki" in 1997
Turchak, Putin and Sobchak at a football match
Timati and Decl
Fedor Dobronravov with his sons
Ksenia Sobchak and Vladimir Levkin
Orbakaite, Presnyakov, Agutin
KVN team “Ural dumplings”, 1995
Dmitry Nagiyev and Claudia Schiffer, 1997 Larisa Dolina performs in the variety show of the Miss Moscow -94 competition. January 22, 1994
Igor Krutoy, Alla Pugacheva and Philip Kirkorov take part in the presentation of the new television game “Russian Lotto”. December 1, 1994
Fyodor Bondarchuk at the Ovation-93 national music awards ceremony
Valery Leontyev at the International Beauty Festival "Intercharm-94". 1994 Photo by Vladimir Vyatkin /RIA Novosti/
Valeria. 1992 Photo by Alexey Boytsov /RIA Novosti/
Lead singer of the Lyube group Nikolai Rastorguev at the Luzhniki Sports Palace. 1991 Photo by A. Rybakovsky /RIA Novosti/
Oleg Gazmanov. 1991
Alla Borisovna and Bedrosovich. 1994 Photo by Yuri Abramochkin /RIA Novosti/
Andrei Gubin with journalist Ksenia Osmolovskaya, 1998
Lyubov Uspenska in the mid-90s
Political and social activities of Nikolai Valuev
Nikolai Sergeevich Valuev became the founder of a charitable foundation for the development of children's and youth sports named after him.
In 2011, Valuev was elected to the State Duma of the sixth convocation from the Kemerovo regional branch of the United Russia party. Member of the State Duma Committee on Physical Culture, Sports and Youth Affairs.
In the State Duma of the seventh convocation (since 2021), he became First Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Ecology and Environmental Protection.
On July 19, 2021, he voted to raise the retirement age.
On October 3, 2012, at the VI reporting and election conference of the Russian Bandy Federation, Valuev was elected vice-president of the Federation. Nikolai Valuev was elected as a member of the executive committee of the FHMR without retaining the position of vice president from September 28, 2021.
Views of Nikolai Valuev
Nikolai Valuev often comments on political and sports news. He spoke out about the situation around WADA. In particular, he admitted that he respects the decision of our boxers to ignore international competitions. The expert called this decision “very serious, responsible and difficult.”
At the same time, he is sure that the disqualification of Russia for 4 years is a political action directed against Russia.
“The situation that is developing around domestic sports is an exclusively political action. - the deputy said on the air of Radio Komsomolskaya Pravda. “In the future, it could affect anyone, for example, China, which currently has strained relations with the United States.”
He also recalled that Russia was already in approximately the same situation.
“This really happened, and then RUSADA was restored to its rights, and now it has been deprived again. And there is no guarantee that WADA will not come up with some new ways and solutions to influence us in the future,” Valuev emphasized.
In addition, he believes that the alternative Olympic Games, which have been talked about a lot lately, depend on the financial capabilities of the organizers. In the modern world, only this could, in his opinion, attract athletes from all over the world to such competitions.
“Without money, most likely, no one will come to local competitions. We really risk a lot if we take such a harsh and irreconcilable position. The most interesting thing is that all the international treaties that we signed and pledged to comply with brought us to this,” Valuev concluded.
Nikolai Valuev shared his opinion on the doping scandal, in which the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) blames Russia.
“Moreover, I can say that there are drugs that cannot be detected in the body during a doping test,” Valuev emphasized. “But doping tests are stored for at least 10 years.”
Therefore, according to him, only after this period it will be possible to check whether the athlete used doping or not.
“Ten years later, a doping test can be obtained and something can be determined that was not determined before. Accordingly, this will also be considered a crime and the most severe sanctions will be applied to the athlete,” Valuev believes, adding that all athletes or no one should be tested for doping, without making any exceptions by country.
Regarding the sensational statements of Greta Thunberg , Nikolai Valuev said that he would not listen to the 16-year-old Swedish eco-activist if she were invited to speak to Russian parliamentarians, since she “is not expressing her own thoughts.” “I will take her statements more seriously when she receives an education,” RIA Novosti quoted Valuev as saying.
The story of Nikolai's acquaintance with his future wife
They met by chance at a birthday party of their mutual friends. Nikolai was then 24 years old, Galina was 20 years old. At that time, he was very worried and grieved about the breakup with his ex-girlfriend. Galina, accordingly, became a vest that allowed him to survive the loss.
She, of course, was initially amazed by his unusual height, but then got used to it.
Valuev is firmly convinced that Galina is the most reliable support for him, a faithful friend. She takes care of household chores and raises children. And Nikolai is a caring, loving husband and father to his beloved children.
They hope that they will always be happy like this.
