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FREDRIK HJELM vs. NIKOLAI VALUEV
FREDRIK HJELM 6,7" - 235 lbs/198 cm, 105 kg
WBA Boxing World Champion NIKOLAI
VALUEV, 7,1"
- 340 lbs /214 cm, 150 kg
Training match, boxing - Andy Hug & Michael
McDonald looking on from ringside.
Fredrik Hjelm:
"Andy thought it would be a good "lesson" for me to
fight the monstrous Russian who was in Tokyo, preparing for a boxing match. Indeed it was - I got knocked down twice that
day - the only times I've ever gotten knocked down in my life. After that, Valuev did me a "favor" and broke my rib with a
body blow." (below)
The Russian digs in to Hjelm's midsection
with a massive right hand and breaks the
rib.
A rare picture of one of Valuev's knockdowns
of Hjelm who only has gotten knocked down twice in his carrier. Andy Hug looks on, concerned, from ringside.
Andy Hug after the fight: "Fredrik, this is
the only time I've seen you look small."
Fredrik Hjelm comments on the fight:
"I was just coming back from a very serious leg injury. Andy cut my thigh muscle
off with his low kicks during training camp in Okinawa, preparing for the K-1 final '98. I wasn't ready to fight the Russian,
but took him on, "Andy-style", anyway. Honestly, I wish I would have turned down the fight, since Andy didn't do it for me.
The broken rib slowed me down too much and a couple of weeks later, I ended up with another cut thigh muscle and had to cancel
my fight against Takeru in the K-1 Japan in Yoyogi Hall, which was a great disappointment."
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