Nikolai Valuev arrived at the ITAR-TASS building in a company car. The driver, we note, parked normally. The guards did not have any questions. That is, progress is evident. The boxer himself about the incident in the parking lot (then, they say, he beat the guard who shouted at his wife before that) he says embarrassed.
“This story in general should be recalled less often,” Nikolai hid his eyes. “Soon it will flow away like water.”
Due to his stellar status, the boxer first visited the management of the news agency. According to the stories, he was offered tea from bags. Nikolay politely refused.
Photojournalists were waiting for him, sitting at the door (from below, Valuev’s shots are more effective). When Nikolai came out, he naturally crouched so as not to hit the jamb. Flash flashed. Valuev stopped.
“How do you like it when I bend ...” he began ominously.
Photographers recoiled, some turned pale. But the boxer had already gone to another room, bowing his head twice more along the way.
Alexander Povetkin was not invited to the leadership of ITAR-TASS (he had not yet held his important meetings), and he modestly awaited a press conference surrounded by his comrades. A girl approached him.
- Alexander, could you leave your contact phone number? she asked. - We often write about boxing. I would like to take the information personally from you.
“Here, write down the phone number of my manager,” Povetkin agreed.
“No, give me the home number,” the journalist insisted.
“And I do not have a home phone,” the boxer shook his hands. - And there is no mobile. I train a lot.
It turns out that the manager is clearly clearly saving on the Russian athlete.
The press conference began with the presentation of some prize from the professional boxing federation of Russia to Valuev. At the same time, a lot of solemn words were said.
“It is a great honor for me ...” Valuev began, having received a crystal glove as a reward, and he finished it. There were no more words.
Povetkin surprised that he was blushing terribly, as soon as it came to him. Alexander became literally crimson when Valuev praised him. And a little less worried when I had to answer myself.
“Professional boxing is easier for me,” said Povetkin. - In amateur it’s a completely different pace, you need to score points there, often get there. And here we need punches to send an opponent to the knockdown.
Note that if he continues to challenge “bags” to the battle like the two previous rivals, then professional boxing will seem to him like a fairy tale.
At the press conference, another promising Russian boxer was presented - Jimmy Kapanov. When this young man was introduced, he was noticeably worried. On December 10, Jimmy will fight in Moscow as part of an evening dedicated to the battle of Oleg Maskaev. Kapanov was very worried, left face to face with the correspondent of "SPORT today."
- Have you been in professional boxing for a long time?
- And what? Well, a year and a half.
- And did you have a lot of fights?
- I can not tell. I need to consult with the manager.
- What for? Say without it.
- No, give me a minute to consult.
- But did you work in amateur boxing?
- Yes, 15 years. Held 150 fights, won 140.
- Have you been in Russia for a long time?
- 12 years.
- And where did you come from?
“Well, you understand ...”
- Not.
- I am Georgian.
It was not possible to find out how many fights Kapanov really had. Moreover, Valuev carried away the press with informal communication. Everyone was wondering if his knees hurt.
- Knees? - laughed Nikolai Valuev. - We treat when they hurt. They are like spare parts in a car. Prevention is needed when it starts to junk.
“But it would be cool to change parts, like in a car,” someone suggested.
“Yeah,” Nikolai suddenly thought. - To take someone else's healthy knees and put yourself - it would be nice.
It got scary.
Alexey Shevchenko