By William Mackay: World Boxing Association heavyweight champion David Haye (24-1, 22 KO’s) came out looking a little defensive in his recent twitter video in which he lectured the media by saying “If you’ve got nothing good to say, don’t say anything at all.” Haye also spoke about his trainer/manager Adam Booth and his team looking for a quality opponent for him. Haye said “Adam Booth and my team are trying hard to get me a quality opponent.” As boxing fans already know, the rumors are that Haye will be fighting the 38-year-old Audley Harrison next on November 13th, in Manchester, England.

If Harrison does turn out to be Haye’s next opponent rather than a much higher ranked fighter, there’s going to be a lot of boxing writers and fans that will disagree with Haye considering Harrison a “quality opponent.” Currently, Harrison is ranked at number #13 by the WBA, which makes the thirty-eight-year-old Harrison a fringe contender. Ranked above Harrison in the WBA rankings are “quality” heavyweights like unbeaten Odlanier Solis, Denis Boytsov, Tomasz Adamek, and Alexander Povetkin to name just a small handful. I don’t know about you, but I certainly see those fighters as being better heavyweights and better opponent than Harrison at this point in his career.

Harrison may have started off his career with a much higher potential than these fighters based on Harrison’s Gold Medal win in the 2000 Olympics in the super heavyweight division, but thus far Harrison has been a big disappointment. Recently, Harrison was on the verge of being beaten by journeyman Michael Sprott last April. To his credit, Harrison rallied in the 12th and scored an exciting 12th round knockout after clouting Sprott with a hard left hook to the head that put him down for the count. However, beating Sprott isn’t a big deal given that he had been beaten in four out of his last six fights going into the Harrison fight.

I can see Haye hand picking Harrison for a fight if Harrison had at least beaten a quality heavyweight like Solis or Adamek, but not Sprott. You would think that Harrison would have to at least beat a contender to get a title shot, don’t you think? Haye fans like to point out that WBC heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko has been milking his heavyweight title as well, beating the likes of Alberto Sosnowski, and is looking to fight 38-year-old Shannon Briggs on October 16th in what appears to be another terrible mismatch.

However, Vitali 38 and is clearly on his way out. You can kind of overlook what Vitali is doing a little more than Haye, because Haye is only 29, and hasn’t beaten the same kinds of fighters that Vitali has thus far. I would be more than happy if Haye were to fight and defeat Samuel Peter. But I don’t see that happening. I don’t think Haye would fight Peter unless he absolutely had to. I would be more than pleased if Haye were to fight Peter in the near future after Peter takes on Wladimir Klitschko next month. Win or lose, I think Peter would be a great opponent for Haye. I don’t think Peter would ever get chosen, though, because he would be much too dangerous for Haye.