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.