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Boxing

Valuev sets US debut fight

14/08/2006

WBA heavyweight champion Nikolai Valuev will fight for the first time on US soil on October 7th against Monte Barrett.

The seven foot tall Russian, dubbed 'the Beast from the East', will make the second defence of the title he won from American John Ruiz last December at a yet-undecided venue.

Las Vegas, Atlantic City and Chicago have all been mentioned as potential venues for the bout and agreements with television channels in America and Germany have already been signed.

Valuev has fought most of his bouts in Germany so far in his career but is currently in Armenia at a training camp to prepare for his next fight.

He admits Barrett, who has won 31 of his 35 fights with 17 knockouts, will be a tough fight but he is not worried.

"Barrett is a strong opponent and I have respect for him," Valuev said.

"However I am convinced I will win the fight."

Meanwhile, newly-crowned WBC heavyweight champion Oleg Maskaev's first defence could be against IBF champion Wladimir Klitschko.

The Kazakhstan-born American won the belt from Hasim Rahman on Saturday and Klitschko's management have been quick to move on the possibility, with November pencilled in as a potential date.

However, the fight may have to wait until Maskaev faces the winner of September's number-one contender bout between James Toney and Samuel Peter, as the WBC ruled in March the winner of Saturday's fight would have to face Toney next.

The promoters of Toney and Peter have both said they would be willing to sanction the Maskaev-Klitschko fight, but only if the WBC title is not on the line.

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