Is David Haye Using Names To Get Attention?

By Chris Williams: With little experience under his belt in the heavyweight division other than a 1st round stoppage of Tomasz Bonin a year ago in April, former cruiserweight champion David Haye (21-1, 20 KOs) appears to be using other fighters’ names in order to gain attention to himself and thereby raise his own status as a fighter. It’s a tried and true method used by a large number of fighters throughout boxing. However, few have been close to as successful s Haye has been, for he’s not only apparently talked himself into an inflated number #3 ranking in the World Boxing Organization and #5 ranking in the WBC, he’s done it all without beating one top 15 opponent.

At the same time, he’s criticized IBF/WBO heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko so often that now the Ukrainian fighter is talking about fighting Haye in 2009. However, the name dropping has had an effect on many boxing fans, with many of them now sick of Haye’s act, wishing he would just shut his pie hole and finally fight someone or a change. He’s so far ruled out a high number of potential opponents for his next fight on November 11th, many of them excellent fighters like Alexander Dimitrenko, James Toney and Monte Barrett. However, Haye really needs to pipe down with all his constant chatter, and get on with proving he’s a real threat, deserving of his high ranking in the heavyweight division before criticizing other more established heavyweights.

It’s one thing for a top heavyweight that’s proven himself to say derogatory things about other heavyweights in the division, but when you have a fighter that has been fighting exclusively smaller fighters his entire career insulting heavyweights as if he’s already established himself, it seem peculiar. I have no doubt that Haye can probably beat many of the heavyweights in the top 15 with his power alone, but until he actually proves it, he needs to keep quiet. While I think he can beat a great many fighters in the division, I think there too that there are a handful that he will never able to beat because of his weak chin, poor stamina and wild attacking style fighting.

Wladimir and Vitali Klitschko would both beat him every time, as would Dimitrenko, Samuel Peter, Chris Arreola, Nikolay Valuev, Sultan Ibragimov, Ruslan Chagaev, Kali Meehan, Kevin Johnson and Tony Thompson. In other words, I see Haye as a bottom feeder in the heavyweight division, who should rightfully be ranked at number #15 rather than #3 and #5 if the ranking bodies had their acts together.

After getting beaten a few times in the next couple of years, Haye will find his proper home at number #15 or there about, possibly not even in the top 15 at all. Though I think he’ll probably beat enough lower level heavyweights to stay at 15 for awhile. After someone like Wladimir takes him out, Haye will probably avoid top opposition for awhile but as soon as he takes on another top fighter, expect to see him lose again.

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