By Chris Williams: British heavyweight David Haye (22-1, 21 KO’s) might not want to think about it, but he might need to start contemplating his future beyond his November 7th title fight against World Boxing Association heavyweight champion Nikolay Valuev (50-1, 34 KO’s) in Nuremberg, Germany.

Haye has taken a big risk by moving up in weight from the cruiserweight division in a long shot gamble to try and capture one of the heavyweight world titles. Haye has an almost impossible dream of not only winning a heavyweight world title, but to unify all the titles by beating both Klitschko brothers, as well as the big 7-foot Valuev. However, with every gamble, there’s a chance that things can go badly for the fighter.

In Haye’s case, he’s taking a huge gamble by having given up the security of the cruiserweight division, where he held down several of the titles, to move up to the heavyweight division and compete against fighters like the Klitschko brothers and Valuev, who are much bigger than him. Haye, however, is supremely confident in his own abilities to succeed, maybe too confident.

He believes that he can beat not only Valuev, but both Klitschko brothers before he’s through. It is a crazy gamble, to be sure, but you can’t blame Haye for wanting to at least try. However, any gambler must be looking into the future when taking a gamble and see what to do if things go wrong.

In this case, Haye needs to consider a backup plan to use if he’s badly beaten and knocked out by Valuev next month. It would be telling if Haye is knocked about by a fighter like Valuev, who doesn’t have a lot of power and is getting up there in age at 36. One course of action is that Haye could be dismissive of the loss, seeing it as caused by this or that.

Haye could blame it on a number of different causes instead of seeing it for what it might actually be – Haye not having the chin or the size to compete against super heavyweights like Valuev and the Klitschko brothers. As such, Haye could continue to toil away at the heavyweight division, seeking out another confidence builder in additional fights against opponents like Monte Barrett and Tomasz Bonin, the only two heavyweights that Haye has ever fought before in his career.

Haye could perhaps live in denial and take on a string of B class fighters, beat them all, of course, and then try and talk his way into another title defense, this time against the Klitschko brothers. I think it would be extremely doubtful that Haye could talk his way into another title fight with the Klitschko brothers, be it that he backed out twice before against them, but it’s possible.

Short of that, Haye might be forced to beat one or two of the top contenders in the heavyweight division. Hopefully, Haye would be allowed to face a bottom 15 contender rather than a top fighter like Odlanier Solis, who I feel would easily beat Haye.

With any luck, Haye would maybe get by one of the top contenders and then find himself in another heavyweight title situation against the Klitschko brothers. If Valuev was able to take Haye out, I think the Klitschko brothers – either one of them – would find it much easier to flatten Haye. Even under the best circumstances, I can’t see Haye lasting more than a round or two against the Klitschko brothers.

Haye would then have to face the same question that he will be facing should he be beaten by Valuev – where do I go from here? However, the best thing that Haye can do for himself is after a loss to Valuev, he should move back down to the cruiserweight division and make the best of what he can with what’s left of his career.

The cruiserweight division has improved a lot since Haye moved up in weight and it’s unclear whether he has the talent to be a champion anymore. But, Haye would still be better off competing at the top of the cruiserweight division rather than ending up an opponent for the heavyweight title holders to mow down from time to time. I can see Haye becoming a journeyman before you know it.

Given his popularity, Haye might get three, maybe even as many as four attempts at a heavyweight title if he lasts long, and lose them all.