By Scott Gilfoid: Promoter Frank Warren was pulling no punches in an interview at the Daily Mail. Speaking of World Boxing Association heavyweight champion David Haye’s bout with two-time heavyweight champion John Ruiz on Saturday night, Warren said “David has secured the prize and now needs to look good. If he can’t look good against Ruiz, then he never will.” I totally agree with Frank. Haye looked plum awful in his last fight against Nikolay Valuev.

That’s got to be one of the worst performances I think eve seen from a heavyweight champion in my life. It wasn’t just that Haye only threw around 10 punches per round; it was how timid he looked. It was like watching a scene from the Hurt Locker where an EOD soldier is trying to defuse roadside bomb. Haye treated Valuev like he was a one-punch knockout artist for the entire 12 rounds, moving in constant circles. Talk about boring. I had to drink several espressos just to get through the fight. It was painful to watch.

Warren says “If Monte Barrett can put Haye on the floor, then the Klitschkos certainly will. A 40-year-old Carl Thompson put Haye on the floor while Enzo Maccarinelli even wobbled him in the first round in their fight in 2008.” Yes, I’ve been saying the same things for ages now. Haye hasn’t proven that he can even stand in the same ring with the Klitschko brothers, much less actually have a chance at beating them.

Thompson was easily the best, and perhaps the only real good fighter that Haye fought during all those years, and look what happened. Since moving up to heavyweight, Haye has been matched very carefully being put in with Tomasz Bonin, Monte Barrett and Valuev. It’s true that Valuev was a title holder, but it’s also true that he was the weakest of the heavyweight champions. Haye passed on fighting both of the Klitschko brothers for their titles. He was supposed to fight Wladimir Klitschko but came up with a back injury. Wladimir then chose an alternative opponent rather than wait for Haye’s injury to heal. With Vitali, Haye backed out completely and instead chose the softer Valuev.

“I Don’t know about Haye being the savior of the heavyweight division,” Warren says. “I want to see him fight the Klitschko first. He [Haye] had opportunities to fight both but pulled out against both, one because of injury and the other because he didn’t like the terms of the contract, even though they were exactly the same as the terms he signed the other brother” [Wladimir]. The Klitschkos would be too big and too strong for Haye. I don’t see him beating either of them. They’re too big, too strong and very methodical with good jabs. I don’t see Haye even making a dent. They think he’s made for them because of the way he fights.”

I totally agree with you, Frank. I think Haye would be taken out in lightning fashion by either of them. Haye is just too small, and he’s so wide open with the wild haymakers he likes to throw. He’ll get countered by both of the Klitschko brothers and taken out with left hooks. The first straight hand from the Klitschkos will likely have Haye on his back counting stars and wondering what happened to him. Basically, Haye just looks way too small. Heck, he’s even smaller than Monte Barrett. I couldn’t get over how Barrett, not a big heavyweight by any means, was actually bigger than Haye when the two fought a couple of years ago.

Size may not matter all the time, but it does when you’re fighting big heavyweights like the Klitschko brothers. You got to have some size to compete with them. I see Haye as being too short, slow and wide open to beat either of them. I think Haye is perfect where he is right now, fighting guys like Valuev and Ruiz. Those are good fights for him, but I still don’t think can win those fights.

I see Ruiz beating him on Saturday night, and I think Valuev should have been given the decision when they fought last November.

Warren says “If Haye beats Ruiz, then Sauerland, who he’s signed a deal with, will enforce a rematch with Valuev. I think that would be a disaster for boxing, but the rematch clause is there in the contract. It was a dreadful fight [Valuev vs. Haye] the first time around. I don’t care what anyone says. Either guy could have been given the decision. It was the most boring fight ever. There was nothing to choose between them. One thing is sure, I wouldn’t be watching the rematch.”

“I like to see a bit of action but when people [Haye] are throwing 10 punches a fight, that’s not what it’s all about. Haye wants to fight the Klitschkos, but he big hold up there is Valuev. The only way Haye to get to fight of the Klitschkos is to pay Valuev to step aside. Valuev will then fight the winner.” Yes, Haye should look at paying Valuev a step aside feel, that is, if Haye can even get by Ruiz on Saturday. I have my doubts about that happening.

Although taking a fight with Valuev would give Haye another payday before facing what would look to be an almost certain loss against one of the Klitschko brothers, it might not be worth the risk. Haye didn’t prove that he was better than Valuev last time out, and I can see the big Russian beating Haye in a rematch, especially if the fight ends up taking place in Germany. If it winds up there, then Haye will have to knock Valuev out or else he’ll likely end up losing by a decision.