Acromegaly Support Group

Before the second world war, patients with acromegaly often ended up in circuses and freak shows. We’re more civilised now, aren’t we?

Last night Goliath boxer Nikolai Valuev lost his WBA world heavyweight champion title to plucky David (Haye).

Valuev may have lost his title, but he’s still the tallest, heaviest, largest boxer the world has ever known - 7ft 2in high and weighing 323 pounds with a 48 inch waist.

Or as the boxing press put it: “His hands are the size of squash rackets, his trademark beige sweaters could comfortably sleep two adults and he takes a size 18-and-a-half shoe.”

Or as Boxing USA put it: “His size is accentuated by a protruding forehead with large bumps (frontal bossing).”

Or as David Haye, the new world boxing champion put it just before the big fight: “I’m not looking forward to all that matted body hair, sweat and bad odour.”

Large feet, hirsute, frontal bossing, big boned, huge hands, gigantic height, excessive sweating. Readers of this forum already know the diagnosis.

But those in the boxing world see something else. As boxing agent Don Majeski explained, “This guy has been through seven promoters and he was never looked upon as a fighter. They all looked at him as some kind of freak show and promoted him that way.”

Goliath slayer David Haye punched the points more succinctly:

“He’s the ugliest human being on earth.”

“He makes the elephant man look like Pamela Anderson.”

“The word around the campfire is that he doesn't smell too sweet.”

“He’s a big, ugly, sweaty and hairy man.”

“I consider him more of a circus show freak that happens to be boxing.”

Yes, we’ve come a long way since those far-off days when thousands queued to ogle and cringe at acromegaly sufferers in circuses and freak shows.
Posted on 11/08/09, 07:11 am