David Haye interested in Anthony Joshua fight at Wembley Stadium

By Boxing News - 06/12/2015 - Comments

hayeBy Scott Gilfoid: A ring rusty former two division world champion David Haye (26-2, 24 KOs) says he’d be interested in facing #2 WBC heavyweight contender Anthony Joshua (13-0, 13 KOs) at some point in the future at Wembley Stadium in London, UK. Just when the 34-year-old Haye would be able and willing to fight the 25-year-old Joshua is the big question.

Haye hasn’t fought in three years since July 2012, and chances are we may see another year go by before Haye returns to the ring.

“I definitely think an all-British contest will be there for us,” Haye said to theSun.co.uk. “Whether it happens or not depends on a lot of stuff. I’ve got to get back in the ring and he’s got to keep winning.”

Unless Haye were to come back and start winning fights against quality opposition, you would have to see a fight between him and Joshua as little more than a money grab rather than an actual fight with meaningful ramifications. It kind of reminds me of 37-year-old Antonio Margarito talking about wanting to come out of retirement if he can get fights against the likes of Saul “Canelo” Alvarez or Miguel Cotto.

It would be a no lose situation for Margarito because he would get money even if he loses the fight. I think it’s the same thing with Haye. If he doesn’t have to do anything in order to get a fight against Joshua, which would likely be the case, then Haye could in theory come back for the huge payday fight against Joshua at Wembley Stadium, then take his loss and disappear for another three years before he’s heard of again.

“If we fight each other there would be no other location than Wembley,” Haye said. “We’re both from London – he’s from north and I’m from south and it would be a massive, massive affair.”

Oh man, I would have a hard time taking a Haye-Joshua fight seriously if Haye takes the fight straightaway without taking at least 6-8 tune-up fights to make up for lost time. I mean, Haye has been out of the ring now for three years since he beat domestic level heavyweight Dereck Chisora by an easy 5th round knockout in 2012. It’s been four years since Haye fought a quality heavyweight in Wladimir Klitschko, and he was totally clowned in that fight.

Haye said a bunch of other stuff about Joshua as well, stuff about his promoter Eddie Hearn is doing such a great job with the match-making he’s doing for the 6’6” Joshua. It was pretty dull stuff that I totally disagree with. I think Hearn is doing a great job of stunting Joshua’s career and burning up years without putting him in any meaningful fights in which he can learn something. How does Joshua learn anything when he’s put in the ring with guys like Kevin Johnson and the other fodder opponents that Hearn has been feeding him? Those guys did little more than run to the ropes, cover up and get knocked out in that order. None of the guys that Hearn has found for Joshua have thrown any meaningful punches at him, and it’s just laughable.



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