A former professional boxer turned Russian politician has issued a call to the country’s young generation, encouraging them to pursue physical training and participate in what he describes as traditionally male athletic pursuits in preparation for potential future military campaigns.
Nikolai Valuev, whose imposing 7-foot frame and 300-plus pound (over 140 kilogram) stature once dominated heavyweight boxing rings worldwide, recently invoked philosopher Alexander Dugin while discussing Russia’s approach to neighboring nations that emerged from the Soviet Union’s collapse.
“The great philosopher Dugin is right,” Valuev stated in a recent video. “We gave carrots to post-Soviet republics for 30 years. It didn’t help. We need the stick.”
The politician, who now serves in Russia’s State Duma, continued with a direct appeal to younger Russians. He said, “Therefore we’re preparing the youth. I advise zoomers to go to the gym and take up masculine sports. And for them will come a time of heroes.”
Valuev’s comments reference what Russian authorities euphemistically term “special military operations,” the same language Moscow has employed to describe its ongoing campaign in Ukraine.
Before entering politics, Valuev enjoyed a formidable professional boxing career that spanned from 1993 to 2009. He retired with a 50-2 record, including 35 knockouts, and held the WBA heavyweight title on two occasions.
Standing over seven feet tall and weighing well above 300 pounds during his prime, Valuev remains the tallest and heaviest world champion in boxing history. His career was not without controversy, most notably his majority decision win over Evander Holyfield in Zurich, where he outweighed the American legend by nearly 100 pounds.
Valuev’s final bout came in Nuremberg, Germany, where he lost his WBA title to David Haye, marking the end of his time in the ring.
