By William Mackay: World Boxing Association (WBA) heavyweight champion David Haye (24-1, 22 KO’s) mentioned wanting to end Audley Harrison’s (27-4, 20 KO’s) career when they meet up on November 13th, saying “I’m going to close the curtain on the joke that is Audley Harrison show…I can assure them this will be the last time they ever see him in a boxing ring.” But instead of the 38-year-old Harrison facing a retirement decision, it could be the 29-year-old Haye that may need to contemplate retirement if he gets knocked out by Harrison.

Haye is already talking about retirement by next year on his birthday on October 13th 2011. He’ll be 30-years-old he says he made kind of vow to not fight beyond that point. But if Harrison knocks Haye out, he won’t have the WBA title, the Klitschko brothers probably won’t have any interest in fighting him, and the big money that Haye has made in his last two heavyweight title fights will drop off dramatically.

I suppose Haye has a rematch clause with Harrison, but he’d still have to face a big question about whether he should continue on with his boxing career, especially if Harrison knocks out badly, like the way that Ricky Hatton was knocked out by Manny Pacquiao last year. Haye isn’t a big heavyweight, he doesn’t have a good chin, and he’s faced relatively light punchers at heavyweight thus far. Harrison will be a big step up for Haye in terms of power.

If Harrison lets his hands go and starts throwing left hand bombs, Haye might fold up quickly and get knocked out. Or he could start running and stinking up the joint like he did against Valuev. I just hope Haye wouldn’t come up the old “I hurt my hand” excuse to help explain away a poor performance. That only works so many times before people start to dismiss it.