MOSCOW - WBA heavyweight champion Nikolai Valuev will meet WBC title-holder Vitaly Klitschko in a unification fight this year, the Russian boxer said.
"I've talked to Vitaly on the phone recently and we agreed to meet each other in a ring," said the 35-year-old Valuev.
"As far as the dates, we're talking about the end of September or early October."
Ukrainian Klitschko said: "Yes, it's true. Nikolai offered to fight and I've accepted his challenge."
Klitschko, 37, became eligible to fight Valuev after the Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled that he did not have to make a mandatory defence against former champion Oleg Maskaev.
Klitschko's younger brother Vladimir, who holds the IBF, IBO and WBO heavyweight belts, retained his titles when he knocked out Uzbek Ruslan Chagaev in a fight in Germany on Saturday. - Reuters
Klitschko to face Valuev
MOSCOW - WBA heavyweight champion Nikolai Valuev will meet WBC title-holder Vitaly Klitschko in a unification fight this year, the Russian boxer said.
"I've talked to Vitaly on the phone recently and we agreed to meet each other in a ring," said the 35-year-old Valuev.
"As far as the dates, we're talking about the end of September or early October."
Ukrainian Klitschko said: "Yes, it's true. Nikolai offered to fight and I've accepted his challenge."
Klitschko, 37, became eligible to fight Valuev after the Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled that he did not have to make a mandatory defence against former champion Oleg Maskaev.
Klitschko's younger brother Vladimir, who holds the IBF, IBO and WBO heavyweight belts, retained his titles when he knocked out Uzbek Ruslan Chagaev in a fight in Germany on Saturday. - Reuters