By Scott Gilfoid: Peter Fury, the trainer for unbeaten heavyweight contender Tyson Fury, thinks that former WBA heavyweight champion David Haye is trying to jump ahead of other heavyweight contenders in looking to get a title shot against WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder.
Haye, 34, hasn’t fought in over four years since being Dereck Chisora in 2012, and he’s talked recently of being interested in fighting the 6’7” Wilder. Haye hasn’t said when precisely he’d be looking to actually fight, but he’s definitely expressed interest in facing Wilder.
Peter Fury and Tyson both want the Wilder fight if they can take care of business against IBF/IBO/WBA/WBO heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko later this year. A Fury vs. Wilder fight would do big business in the UK, and it likely would sellout Wembley Stadium in London, UK. Therefore, you can’t blame Peter Fury not being too pleased with Haye talking about making a comeback and facing Wilder.
If Haye did come back, he’s probably going to need at least one tune-up fight before he’s given a world title shot against Wilder. The World Boxing Council will likely give Haye a top 15 ranking if he gets that one tune-up fight out of the way, which would then clear the way for Wilder to face Haye in a voluntary defense, provided that Wilder wins his next fight on September 26th and then get past Alexander Povetkin in early 2016 in a mandatory defense.
There are a lot of ‘what ifs’ involved with a Haye-Wilder fight, because Wilder has to jump through two big hoops and Haye least one small hoop before a fight between them could take place.
“What we have there is David Haye trying to gate-crash and cherry pick his way to the top,” Peter Fury said on Buncey’s Boxing Podcast via ESPN.co.uk. “You know he’s no longer the big superstar he thinks he is, and the world needs to know, he bottled it with Tyson, we saw it with Klitscho too, he ran away from him and blamed it on his toe.”
None of this will matter if Fury gets destroyed by Wladimir and Wilder loses one of his next two fights. Haye might still get a world title shot at the WBC title, but it would possibly be against someone like Lucas Browne or Povetkin. Those would be tough fights for Haye, and I’m not sure he’s got the size to win those bouts. Beating Povetkin would have been a possibility three years ago, but with Haye now 34 and coming off of a three-year layoff, I don’t know that he could handle a ring sharp fighter like Povetkin.
With the way that Haye has broken down physically while getting ready for fights against Manuel Charr and then Fury, I have serious doubts whether he could make it through a training camp to fight anybody at this point. He’ll be turning 35 in October, and he’s suffered injuries while trying to get ready for fights in the not so distant past. I can’t imagine he’ll be able to stay together in one piece to fight the likes of Wilder or even a stumble bum picked out for a tune-up fight.
Haye vs. Wilder might even be sanctioned by the WBC without Haye having even to take a tune-up fight. I honestly wouldn’t be surprised in the least if the WBC just went ahead and blessed the Haye vs. Wilder fight without Haye fighting anybody before hand because the fight would make so much cash. I’m sure the WBC wouldn’t mind Haye potentially winning their WBC title because they would be able to collect sanctioning fees with him as their champion and make good money. I mean, I don’t think Haye can beat Wilder for a second, but I can see the WBC letting the Wilder-Haye fight take place without Haye having to work for the fight. It’s a win-win fight for both Wilder and the WBC, because a lot of money will be made. Wilder could potentially retire from boxing after the Haye fight with the cash he’ll make from that fight.
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