Haye wants to fight twice in 2014

By Boxing News - 07/30/2014 - Comments

haye4343By Scott Gilfoid: British heavyweight David Haye (26-2, 24 KOs) is hoping to get two fights under his belt in the remaining 5 months of 2014 before he gets serious about trying to work his way into a mandatory spot to face IBF/IBO/WBA/WBO heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko in a rematch that Haye badly wants but one that Wladimir is indifferent about.

Haye, 33, is going to need some speedy and generous ranking by the sanctioning bodies in the near future for him to get to a mandatory spot to fight Wladimir, because Haye currently isn’t ranked in the top 15 by any of the ranking organizations.

The reason for that is because he hasn’t fought in 2 years since his win over British domestic heavyweight Dereck Chisora in July 2012. It’s not that Haye hasn’t had chances to fight since then.

The problem is his body keeps breaking down on him. He’s missed three fights – Manuel Charr and Tyson Fury twice – due to injuries, and he’s currently rehabbing from a shoulder injury.

“Ideally, I’d have two fights before the end of the year,” Haye said to express.co.uk. “October’s realistic if something can be arranged for that point. I’m back in training doing my thing. Fighting Wladimir won’t be easy. I’d have to be mandatory. He won’t fight me voluntarily. He’d earn more money fighting me than anyone else but it’s not really about money. He likes to fight people who can guarantee an easy night’s work, and he knows it won’t be an easy night’s work if he fights me.”

Wladimir is fighting unbeaten Kubrat Pulev (20-0, 11 KOs) on September 6th in Germany. Pulev, 6’4 ½”, is likely to be far tougher than the fight that Haye put up in losing by a lopsided 12 round unanimous to Wladimir in 2011.

Haye looked like a cruiserweight in the ring with Wladimir, and he was far too small to be fighting a guy that big. Boxing needs a separate Super Heavyweight division for guys like Wladimir, because small heavyweights like Haye are at a disadvantage against guys like Wladimir and Deontay Wilder.

As far as Haye’s comeback goes, I have serious doubts whether his injured right shoulder will hold together in his next fight or two. He expects to face weak opposition, but even if he does make it through those fights, Haye could very well fall apart when it comes to him training for a tough eliminator bout where he’s asked to face a top five contender to become a mandatory.

Haye will be turning 34 in October, he’s starting to have injury problems left and right that makes one wonder whether old age is starting to rear its ugly head.



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