By Sean McDaniel: Responding to the comments that his next opponent Audley Harrison (27-4, 20 KO’s) said about him having a big ego, World Boxing Association (WBA) heavyweight champion David Haye (24-1, 22 KO’s) pointed out why he has such a big ego, saying in an article at Sky Sports News “I have reason to have an ego because I was the undisputed cruiserweight champion – I was the best in the world. I’ve then gone on to be heavyweight champion of the world – if you haven’t got an ego after that. Then again, Audley said he had an ego like that five years ago, but what had he achieved? Nothing. He didn’t even win the British title. To say that we’re in the same mindset is ridiculous.” Haye was only briefly the undisputed cruiserweight champion for a period of five months after beating Jean Marc Mormeck and Enzo Maccarinelli.

Those are good wins, but it isn’t like Haye stuck around and defended the titles against the likes of Marco Huck, Tomasz Adamek, Steve Cunningham, Danny Green, Guillermo Jones, Alexander Frenkel or Denis Lebedev, to name just a few fighters that what have given Haye big problems had he stuck around long enough to fight them.

Haye does have confidence, but it’s not to the extent where he’s ready to take all comers. As you can see with his hesitency to fight the Klitschko brothers. He’s confident but he appears to know his limitations. Why else would he be saving the Klitschkos until the very end of his career. If he really believed he could beat them, he would likely have already fought them. By saving them for last, he’s basically taking the fights he thinks he can win before going at the ones he probably won’t be able to. However, Harrison could ruin all Haye’s dreams and plans if he can connect with one of his big shots. Harrison is huge compared to the smaller Haye, and with that size comes power.

If he connects with a big shot before Haye can land, we may be talking about Harrison as the new WBA heavyweight champion and the one that will be facing the Klitschko brothers next. The good thing about Harrison being the WBA champion is that it will be much easier to arrange a unificaiton bout compared to Haye. Harrison actually wants to fight the Klitschkos and he wants to fight both of them. He’s not going to complain if there’s something in the contract stating that he would have to give a rematch and then fight the other brother if he wins that fight. Why not? That’s where the most money is.