Valuev Unfazed by Haye's Trashtalk

Posted by Patrick Cassidy on 11.03.2009

The Russian Giant speaks out on David Haye...

Current WBA heavyweight champion, Nikolai Valuev isn't letting the the trash talking of former Cruiserweight king David Haye affect him, or so he says. The 7 foot and 325 pound giant is in the final preparations for his title defense against Haye, this Saturday.

"He can say what he wants," Valuev said. "I don't care about it. I will give my answer in the ring. A lot of opponents have tried to provoke me but nobody has ever succeeded. I don't care about his statements. Needless to say, I am very confident of success."

The bout previously was off limits to observers in North America, after both major boxing networks declined to purchase the fight. However, fans will now be able to view the fight via PPV starting at 3 PM.

"This is great news," the WBA champ remarked upon learning his fight will air in North America. "I want to thank my fans in the US and Canada for their support. I hope they will enjoy the fight November 7th."

Perhaps, the most interesting storyline going into the fight is whether Haye's superior speed and athleticism will be enough to counter Valuev's obvious size advantage.

"Obviously, he is fast," Valuev noted. "But I have prepared for his speed. We have prepared well in practice for him and his style. How he stands-up to my punching remains to be seen when we are in the ring. I don't make predictions but I will defend my title."