Valuev keeps heavyweight belt

HANOVER, Germany – Russia’s Nikolai Valuev retained his WBA heavyweight title Saturday, stopping Jamaican challenger Owen Beck with a right uppercut in the third round.

The biggest heavyweight in history at 7 feet and 321 pounds, Valuev sent Beck backward stiff-legged to the canvas with 1:16 left following a second-round knockdown in the one-sided fight.

A woozy Beck climbed back onto this feet, but the referee stopped the bout seconds later as he looked helpless against another flurry of punches by Valuev, 44-0 (32 knockouts). Many spectators called out for the bout to be stopped.

“My family wanted me to knock him out today, that’s why I did it,” Valuev said. “It was the right hand today.”

Valuev took the title from John Ruiz on a controversial decision in December. Afterward, he said he hadn’t thrown the right enough as he stood outside and jabbed the American with his left.

This time, Valuev buckled the knees of Beck (25-3, 18 knockouts) in the first round with the right, doing repeated damage with the hand. He threw punches non-stop once he had Beck in trouble.

Valuev said he is trying to live up to being the first Russian heavyweight champion.

“There is a lot more pressure on me now,” Valuev said.

Many thought Beck – who had lost to the only Top 10 fighters on his record and was 1-2 in his last three fights – hadn’t earned a title shot. He gave up nearly 11 inches and 80 pounds to the towering Russian.