Klitschko vs. Haye: Should David Move Back Down to Cruiserweight If He Gets Knocked Out?

By Boxing News - 05/09/2009 - Comments

haye454349By Chris Williams: I hate to say this, but I think David Haye is going to get knocked out in the first three rounds against Wladimir Klitschko on June 20th. Haye, 28, is a good fighter at cruiserweight, one of the best in a mediocre division. But as far as being a good heavyweight, I think he doesn’t have the size or the chin for the better heavyweights. Haye has done well for himself by talking his way into a bout with Klitschko, the International Boxing Federation/World Boxing Organization heavyweight champion.

However, I see this as a one-time only shot for Haye, because after he gets stretched in the first three rounds by Wladimir, I can’t see Haye getting another shot at Vitali Klitschko, the WBC heavyweight champion, or against WBA heavyweight champions Ruslan Chagaev or Nikolay Valuev. Haye, 6’3”, would be too small to beat Vitali, Chagaev or Valuev, and it would a quick fight if he fought any of them with Haye going down for the count.

Haye had problems taking shots from the little 200 pound cruiserweights, and was dropped on a number of occasions by them. In moving up to heavyweight, obviously Haye’s chin will stay the same as before – weak and vulnerable at all times.

The only difference is that Haye has put on 15 pounds of muscle and now weighs 215. The added weight hasn’t made Haye any quicker or any more powerful than he was before. Instead, it’s only made him slower moving and much more vulnerable from what I can see than Haye was previously when he fought at cruiserweight.

Haye has a lot of fellow Brits giving him a good chance at beating Wladimir. However, I think the Brits are completely in the dark about Haye’s weak chin, and aren’t facing reality. Perhaps it’s wishful thinking on their part, because they want him to win so badly.

However, I’m a very objective person who always calls them like I see them, and I just got to say that Haye doesn’t stand a chance against Klitschko. The fight will last as long as Haye moves around on the outside eating powerful jabs from Wladimir.

As soon as Klitschko connects with a left hook or a right hand, this fight is as good as over. Haye, of course, will make it easy for Wladimir by coming charging in with his usual lunging attacks trying to land one of his badly telegraphed right hands.

Klitschko will see it coming a mile away and will land a short powerful left hook and probably knock Haye out worse than Ricky Hatton was against Manny Pacquiao. I’m hoping that Haye then gets a clue and realizes that he’s not cut out for the cruiserweight division and then moves back down where he belongs at cruiserweight.

Knowing Haye, he won’t do that, and instead will stick it out at heavyweight for awhile, getting knocked out from time to time when he fights a good heavyweight. I see Haye as more of a bottom feeder for the heavyweight contenders to use to sharpen their skills while moving up.

Haye will win some, but lose a lot due to his glass jaw and lack of size. Eventually, after suffering four or five knockouts, I can see Haye finally moving back down to cruiserweight. However, I see him having problems there as well, because the division has improved greatly since Haye last fought there. Haye would find himself having to deal with cruiserweights like Ola Afolabi, who I see knocking Haye out as well.



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