physics

Nikolai Valuev

Nikolai Valuev is a physics topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Nikolai Valuev rather than just read about it. In short: Nikolai Sergeyevich Valuev (Russian: Николай Сергеевич Валуев, IPA: [vɐˈlujɪf]; born 21 August 1973) is a Russian politician and former professional boxer. He competed in boxing from 1993 to 2009, and held the World Boxing Association (WBA) heavyweight title twice between 2005 and 2009.

Key takeaways

Nikolai Valuev belongs to physics; place it in that map before memorising details.
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Reproduce the core statement of Nikolai Valuev from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Nikolai Sergeyevich Valuev (Russian: Николай Сергеевич Валуев, IPA: [vɐˈlujɪf]; born 21 August 1973) is a Russian politician and former professional boxer. He competed in boxing from 1993 to 2009, and held the World Boxing Association (WBA) heavyweight title twice between 2005 and 2009. At a height of 2.13 metres (7 feet) and a peak weight of 151 kilograms (333 pounds), Valuev is best known for being the tallest and heaviest world champion in boxing history. He is also the first heavyweight champion to have finished his career without ever being knocked down, and he is the fifth to have never been stopped.

Biography Valuev was born on 21 August 1973, in Leningrad, Soviet Union (now Saint Petersburg, Russia). His parents are short, unlike his Tatar ancestor "of mountainous proportions", and Valuev had previously denied that his own size was due to medical issues such as gigantism complicated by acromegaly, instead arguing for it being a question of genetics. However, in 2009 he was diagnosed with acromegaly and has since stated that he has it. Valuev is a Russian Orthodox Christian. Valuev has written a book in Russian called My 12 Rounds, with the help of Russian sports journalist Konstantin Osipov. The book discusses his life in general and his boxing career in particular. For that book, Valuev received an award from the government of Saint Petersburg. In January 2006, Valuev was accused of assaulting a security guard at the Spartak Ice Palace in Saint Petersburg. No criminal investigation was launched by local police.

Amateur career

Highlights Russian National Championships (+91 kg), Saint Petersburg, Russia, May 1994:

1/4: Lost to Alexei Lezin Goodwill Games (+91 kg), Saint Petersburg, July 1994:

1/4: Lost to Alexei Lezin (Russia) on points, 8–+8ut.

Professional career

First reign as WBA heavyweight champion

In 2005, Valuev squared off with WBA heavyweight champion John Ruiz, and won a twelve-round majority-decision, becoming both the tallest (7 ft or 2.13 m) and heaviest (324 lbs or 147 kg) champion in boxing history.

Valuev vs. Chagaev

The title defense was held on 14 April 2007. Chagaev defeated Valuev by a majority decision (117–111, 115–113 and 114–114). Valuev changed trainers, from Manuel Gabrielian to Alexander Zimin, who coached the old Soviet Union amateur boxing team. On 29 September 2007, Valuev won against Jean-Francois Bergeron in Oldenburg, Germany, by a 12-round unanimous decision (118–111 on all three cards).

Between title reigns

Valuev vs. Liakhovich On 16 February 2008, in a title eliminator, Valuev defeated former titleholder Siarhei Liakhovich, winning every round at the Nuremberg Arena in Germany. The victory earned Valuev the right to face Chagaev for the WBA title again, the only man who had defeated him in his boxing career.

Second reign as WBA champion

Valuev vs. Ruiz II

He was scheduled to face Chagaev for his WBA title on 5 July 2008, but Chagaev pulled out with an injury. Valuev instead fought John Ruiz for the vacant title on 30 August 2008 and the WBA decided to make Chagaev "Champion In Recess". Valuev defeated Ruiz by unanimous decision to regain the WBA heavyweight championship, with Valuev and Chagaev set to fight no later than 26 June 2009 to determine whom the WBA regarded as their champion. The scores were 114–113, 116–113, and 116–111. The result was initially declared a split decision win for Valuev with the 114–113 score by ringside judge Takeshi Shimakawa was announced in favor of Ruiz rather than for Valuev. One of the scorecards had the names of the fighters in opposite order, resulting in the confusion. The decision was once again unpopular with the live crowd, as some booed the outcome, much like in the first bout.

Valuev vs. Holyfield

Valuev's first title defense of his second reign as WBA Champion was against the 46-year-old, four-time heavyweight champion of the world, Evander Holyfield, on 20 December 2008. Before the match, Valuev weighed 310.8 pounds (141 kg), nearly 100 pounds heavier than Holyfield at 214.3 pounds (97 kg). After a rather uneventful match with no knockdowns and few punches thrown by either fighter, Valuev won a widely disputed majority decision. In response to the controversial result the WBA announced plans to investigate the decision.

Loss to Haye

In his second defense on 7 November 2009, billed as 'David vs. Goliath', Valuev faced off against former unified and lineal cruiserweight champion David Haye (22–1, 21 KOs) at the Arena Nürnberger Versicherung in Nuremberg. Valuev lost by a majority decision (114–114, 116–112, 116–112).

Retirement from boxing and health problems Valuev announced his retirement from boxing in a Russian newspaper three days after the loss to Haye on 10 November 2009. In 2010, Valuev's doctor went on record saying that he is treating Valuev for "serious bone and joint problems". Valuev underwent two operations that required at least six months on the sidelines. Valuev confirmed in 2013 that medical advice was one of the reasons he is not planning to make a comeback in boxing.

Outside of boxing

Television career Valuev's first role in a film was a cameo appearance in the German film 7 Zwerge – Der Wald ist nicht genug in 2006. In 2008, Valuev played the main role in the film Stonehead by Philip Yankovskiy, playing an ex-boxer who lost his memory. The film took the main prize at the film festival "Window to Europe". After the success of Stonehead, it was announced Valuev was being filmed in two new films at the same time. In August 2016, Valuev became a presenter on Good Night, Little Ones!, Russia's long-running TV program for small children. He replaced Dmitry Malikov as the host.

Political career

In December 2011 Russian parliamentary election, Valuev became a member of the State Duma through the United Russia Party. On 17 December 2012, Valuev supported the law in the Russian Parliament banning adoption of Russian orphans by citizens of the US. Following the IOC's decision to suspend Russia from participating in the Olympics under its flag due to the Russian state-sponsored doping scandal, Valuev said that Russia should go to the Olympics and "tear everyone apart to spite these bastards who want to kill our sport." In September 2022, Valuev revealed he had been drafted to serve in the Russian armed forces.

… excerpt ends here. Continue reading the full article.

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Nikolai Valuev

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Nikolai Valuev claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In physics, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Nikolai Valuev before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Nikolai Valuev ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Nikolai Valuev

In research: Nikolai Valuev appears in physics research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Nikolai Valuev in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Nikolai Valuev is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics 1973 births, Competitors at the 1994 Goodwill Games, Eighth convocation members of the State Duma (Russian Federation), so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Nikolai Valuev outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Nikolai Valuev in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Nikolai Valuev means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Nikolai Valuev out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Nikolai Valuev in simple terms?

Why does Nikolai Valuev matter?

Because it connects several physics ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Nikolai Valuev?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Nikolai Valuev.