Haye wants Deontay Wilder fight, then Klitschko rematch

By Boxing News - 03/20/2015 - Comments

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By Scott Gilfoid: Soon to be 35-year-old former two division world champion David Haye (26-2, 24 KOs) is targeting a fight against WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder (33-0, 32 KOs) when Haye eventually makes his comeback after three years out of the ring. A tired looking Haye says he wants Deontay first, and after he beats the 6’7” American fighter, he will then go after a rematch against IBF/IBO/WBA/WBO heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko to try and avenge his one-sided 12 round decision loss to him in July 2011.

Haye originally said that he would be making his comeback in 2015, but it doesn’t look like that’s going to happen. I mean, there’s still nine months left in the years so anything is possible, but it doesn’t appear right now that we’ll be seeing Haye back in the ring anytime soon.

“I’ll be back, believe me, bigger and better than ever,” Haye said via IFL TV. “It’s taken longer than expected. George Foreman had 10 years out, and he then came back and won a world title. For me to come back against a big American [Deontay Wilder], who would probably be the favorite if I were to fight him, is something I’ve always wanted to do. When I do get back out there and start knocking people out, what a fantastic route to be able to go down. To beat someone like Deontay Wilder, who’s never been beaten before, for me that’s a nice target. Once I’ve beaten him, I’ll go back to Wladimir and try to get a unification match. Big plans; it’s not something that’s going to happen within the next year. I don’t think any ones taking it off Wilder. I don’t think anyone is solid enough to take it off Wilder other than Klitschko, maybe. But I don’t see Klitschko going over to American and fighting. Wilder doesn’t need Klitschko, Klitschko needs Wilder. Why does Wilder need Klitschko? No one in America knows who Klitschko is. Wilder is the American. People need to come and fight Wilder.”

As much as Wilder and a lot of boxing fans would like to see a fight between him and Haye, I see this as nothing but a pipe dream for Haye. The guy isn’t fighting anymore, and it’s already been three years since he last fought in 2012. From the way Haye is talking in the interview, it sounds like he won’t be fighting at all in 2015. This means that when Haye does return to action in 2016, he’ll have been out of the ring for four years.

It’s interesting that Haye is comparing himself against the huge 6’4” George Foreman, who stayed out of the ring for 10 years and was able to come back and win a world title in his 40s against Michael Moorer. But Haye is a lot smaller than Foreman, and he’s not the puncher that Foreman was. Foreman had the advantage of coming back and winning a world title against a fighter that was arguably a paper champion in Michael Moorer.

Foreman didn’t have to beat Lennox Lewis, Mike Tyson, or Evander Holyfield to become a world champion at age 45. Haye wouldn’t have that situation if he comes back to try and win a world title. He’ll be coming back as a small cruiserweight-sized heavyweight, and he’d be doing it against a very, very dangerous Deontay Wilder, who can punch with incredible power with either hand. Wilder has learned how to use his jab, and he’s very mobile.

Wilder could basically do to Haye the same thing that Wladimir did to him in beating him in 2011. But I believe Wilder would do a much better job of beating Haye because he would be exchanging with him during certain parts of every round, and Haye would have to take major head shots without wearing head gear like he did during his sparring sessions with Wilder.



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