Haye interested in fighting Vitali Klitschko in Africa
December 27th, 2009
By Scott Gilfoid: World Boxing Association heavyweight champion David Haye is looking to repeat Muhammad Ali’s Rumble in the Jungle by fighting WBC heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko in Africa next year in 2010. According to an article from the Daily Mail Haye is interested in setting up a bout worth £30million in Gabon. “Ali is a massive hero of mine and if I could do something like he did then I’d love it,” Haye said. “Maybe we [Vitali Klitschko] can stage the new Rumble in the Jungle. I am looking to leave a legacy and to be able to fight in every continent would be tremendous.”
Haye doesn’t have the heavyweight experience of an Ali or Foreman to make this a huge event. Klitschko isn’t popular outside of Europe, and it’s difficult to imagine that he’d be able to draw fans in Africa. Haye would be much better off trying to stage a fight with Klitschko in England or Germany, where the two could sell out a stadium.
If Haye wants to have a legacy like Ali, whom he sees as a hero figure, then Haye should focus on establishing himself as a quality heavyweight by trying to defend his title over and over again like Ali did. By traveling to Africa at this early point in Haye’s career, before he’s even shown that he can defend his title once, it’s like putting the cart before the horse.
Haye barely beat WBA heavyweight champion Nikolay Valuev on November 7th, having to settle for a narrow 12 round majority decision over the weakest of the heavyweight champions. That’s not the kind of performance that makes you think that Haye has the kind of clout to go to Africa and try to set up a fight with Klitschko there. It just seems misguided and backwards at this point. Haye needs to stick around for awhile and prove himself, and then if he’s still a champion, then by all means he should try to lure one of the Klitschko brothers over to Africa or wherever.
Right now, it would be almost be comical for them to fight in the same place that the great Ali did. The Ali-Foreman bout was a great fight between two excellent heavyweights. I can’t say that a fight between Haye and Klitschko would be anything close to that.
Tags: 20 Responses to “Haye interested in fighting Vitali Klitschko in Africa”
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If you ever watched the documentary of the Ali fight in the jungle, it basically was a disaster and almost impossible to pull off ; not enough power source let alone water. not to mention too hot
and political trouble.
Does Haye think he can stage a huge upset over there like Ali did?
Maybe he thinks he has a lot of fans there (i doubt anyone over there knows who Haye is) who can keep Vitali out of his sleep like they did to Foreman.
And then the paycheck… £30M!!!!! Is he nuts????? He’s no Tyson, he’s no Ali, he’s no Lewis… He’s not even on the same page Frank Bruno was!
Get a grip man, and try to get by ‘The quiet man’ Ruiz first, at least he’s quiet.
Mr. Haye does not appear like he is really interested in fighting Vitali or Wladimir. His recent brain wave of wanting to fight in Africa is no doubt going to be topped by Haye wanting to next have the fight take place on the moon.
Haye knows full well regardless where he fights a Klitschko it means end of the line for the sometimes Londoner.
This result of course will make millions jump for joy and insure an agreeable evening at the fights for all those that have come to know the Hayewire and his “ways”.
Scott, Thanks for writing all these articles about me. I know you love me thats why you keep writing about me. Once i have unified all the belts i am going to move to the USA and become a citizen of the great USA and then all my many fans in America can meet me in person. I can sign their autograph books and teach the American heavy weights how to keep fit. Peace to my American brothers.
hi ty! I like your sense of humour, but let’s get back to reality!
Here’s the Link of the best University in the UK(world) asking Ali to Teach soo many subjects at they university.
Just go on youtube and type this link in! I couldn’t put the full link on this webiste for some reason! Also remember this interview was done in 1974
watch?v=tC6buvheGsk
What university are you talking about? The one in Harry Potter? WTF??
Ali not intelligent? Then why was he offered by the top University in the WORLD to come and teach at they University(mentioned on the ‘Parkinson Show)!
Put in mind that ALi didn’t even focus on education after the age of 12, because Ali had just started boxing then! Now Just Imagine if Ali did focus properly in school!
the haye comedy tour continues. He will want to fight in space next.
Haye will never be as good as Lennox Lewis, Holyfield or the Klitschko’s. For one, he would have to fight more often and beat top fighters, not light hitting fighters.
A good way for Haye to build a legacy would be to actually fight in fights… not talk about fighting.
2Anonymous
IDIOT is your second name
you are going to watch who will win?
david haye’s big mouth will be shut up. we don’t want to hear about him. he is only uneducational guy. that’s all.
Klitscko is popular outside europe as all the american fighters have come up short against him so he is fairly well known there too I D I O T
2 Ben
You serious? hayeater is money cow? Klitschko time is over? You living on the earth or moon?
Klitschko=Money. Very big money. Klitschko brothers are SUPERSTARS in whole Europe, especially in Germany where they are Idols. Stadiums is full of their fans. 51.000 were in Schalke arena Wlad-Chagaev. Wlad only 33 hes got many years of time.
Haye revels in publicity, there is no such thing as bad publicity and look it works. I disagree with your assessment of the Valuev fight. Haye didn’t get touched by Valuev and was close to knocking him out. I do agree with what you are saying, about fighting in Africa, but I think this just preamble as any Klitchko fight will require a lot of negotiation so i expect a lot of publicity before anything is signed.
Hayes victory over valuev wasn’t narrow anyway, bar the blind judge who scored it a draw, 116-112 twice is not a close victory, winning 8 rounds to 4 is fairly comprehensive, especially with a broken hand for 9 of them rounds.
Sorry but vitali klitchos fans can share a mini cab to the arena and there would still be plenty of leg room.
Haye is the one bringing all the money to this fight. Hes the cash cow. Nobody pays to watch Vitali jab for 12 rounds. Usually against some over rated american fat bum.
The brothers know their time is coming to an end, they just want a few big pay days.
They can get one from haye… and if they manage to beat haye, they can fight each other for a last big pay day.
To begin with brother Haye is in no position to dictate where the fight will take place. As the “new Kid” on the block he is lucky that he can claim a heavyweight title that he was barely able to “win” versus Valuev.
No matter the location Haye will not win against Vitali and the world will have one more loser to delight in.
Haye is much talk with little substance.
Hes just talking in the media scott. He was probably in africa when he said this. Hes getting media attention, keeping his face out there.
You seem to forget this business is all about money. We both know the fight wont be in africa. It will be in london or berlin.
It might even be in las vegas… but it wont be in africa.