MOSCOW, May 30 (RIA Novosti) - WBA heavyweight champion Nikolai Valuev has missed out on the chance for revenge against Ruslan Chagaev after the Uzbek fighter failed a pre-match medical ahead of Saturday's bout in Helsinki.
The match was called off after Chagaev "champion in recess" was diagnosed with a mild form of Hepatitis B and he was "unable to fulfil the Finnish boxing federation's medical requirements."
Valuev's promoter Chris Meyer told journalists late on Friday, "Unfortunately, we have no other chance but to call the whole show off. Our top priority is Nikolai's health and it could not be guaranteed."
The 35-year-old Russian (50-1, 34 KOs) lost his title bout to Chagaev in a shock defeat in April 2007, although a rematch was rescheduled for May 2008 and then July, injury forced the Uzbek to postpone and he was declared champion in recess.
Valuev told journalists, "I would have loved to make this fight but given those circumstances it is not possible."
