Valuev to face Ruiz in title bout

RUSSIAN giant Nikolai Valuev will fight fellow former champion John Ruiz for the vacant WBA heavyweight title before August 31, it was announced yesterday, following the injury to Ruslan Chagaev.

Earlier this week, current champ Ruiz pulled out of Saturday’s mandatory defence against seven-foot Valuev in Halle, west Germany, for the second time in a row after rupturing his achilles tendon.

The WBA board decided in Buenos Aires on Thursday that former champions Ruiz and Valuev will face each other for the title.

“We wanted Nikolai to fight for the title as soon as possible,” said the Russian’s advisor Chris Meyer.

The managers of both fighters have until July 15 to find a solution to where the fight will be staged.

“Of course, it is our goal to stage this attractive fight in Germany,” said Meyer.

It will be the second time Valuev, the WBA’s top-ranked fighter, and United States fighter Ruiz have met after Valuev clinched a points victory over the American in Berlin in December 2005.

Having ruptured his achilles tendon last week, Chagaev was forced to cancel the Valuev fight and has been given special status.

He has until June 26 2009 to fight the winner of the Ruiz-Valuev fight once he has recovered.