By Scott Gilfoid: I have to say after looking at some recent photos and video of WBA heavyweight champion David Haye (24-1, 22 KO’s), I couldn’t help but notice how slender and emaciated he looks. My guess is Haye is weighing no more than 215 now for his fight against the giant 6’5″ 250 pound Audley Harrison (27-4, 20 KO’s) next month on November 13th at the M.E.N. Arena, Manchester, Lancashire. The 6’2″ Haye is already on the short side for a heavyweight, but his small build puts him at a distinct disadvantage against big heavyweights with reach and power. Haye also seems to be sporting a slight pot belly. It’s looks kind of strange given how skinny he is right now. This is going to be the first fight for Haye at heavyweight in which he’s going to be taking on someone that can actually punch.

I don’t know if Haye, looking as skinny and small as he’s looking right now, will have to size to beat a hulking heavyweight like Harrison. Never mind that Harrison has had an up and down career. He’s fighting well as of late, and is sitting down on his shots a lot more than he used to in the past. That’s bad news for Haye, because besides giving up three inches in height, possibly four, and 30+ pounds in weight, Haye will also be giving away 10″ inches in reach to the long-armed Harrison. This is quite significant when you factor in how small that Haye is looking right now.

I know speed is the name of the game in boxing, but when you got a fighter as small and skinny as Haye, with a glass jaw, it spells disaster. I think Harrison is going to knock Haye into next week when he lands one of his big shots. Haye looks more like a little body builder right now with a slight pot belly. I don’t see him doing well against the huge Harrison. This is probably going to be a duplicate effort from Haye as in his fight with Nikolay Valuev. Expect Haye to be running around the ring, throwing an occasional wild pot shot and desperately trying not to get hit.

It’s Harrison’s job to keep spearing the much shorter Haye from the outside and have him eating a steady diet of jabs. Haye can’t stand getting hit period and isn’t used to it, given that he fought most of his career in the weak cruiserweight division. I can see Harrison beating Haye with his jab alone and puffing him up enough to the point where Haye will quit on him. When you got a guy that’s used to bullying weaker opposition, and not used to being hit, they can fall apart when they start to take shots for the first time in ages. The last time that Haye got hit with any regularity was against Carl Thompson in 2004, and Haye was staggering around after only getting hit with a handful of punches by Thompson in the 5th.