Boxing Perspective: Is David Haye Up To The Valuev Challenge?

David Haye has done all the right things via the press to get generate a heavyweight title challenge and has been rewarded with a shot against WBA champion Nickolay Valuev in Nuremberg, Germany on November, 7.

But with the same certainty in which that statement can be made, there’s no doubt the former world cruiserweight champion hasn’t earned that opportunity in the conventional sense.

Haye clambered atop the 200 pound class with wins against the likes of Jean Marc Mormeck, Enzo Macarrinelli and Giacobbe Fragomeni while never having faced Tomasz Adamek or Steve Cunningham in order to truly rule the division, skipping instead to join the heavies.

At that higher weight, Haye hammered out aging former contender Monte Barrett over five rounds a year ago but has gone no further during that time.

Generally, this sort of limited activity as a heavyweight would have earned Haye the chance to meet such opponents as Hasim Rahman, Ray Austin, Fres Oquendo…etc, for a few bouts before a genuine world title opportunity would have materialized, assuming “the Hayemaker” won those contests.

Instead, Haye managed to insult himself into title fights with not one but both Klitschko brothers. When those bouts crashed and burned, haye somehow now has the chance to challenge Valuev, clearly not as dangerous a task as either a Wladimir or Vitali near-suicide mission.

So, what will happen when the bell rings in Nuremberg on November 7 and Haye is confronted by the mammoth Valuev, who has already been thoroughly offended and thus likely motivated by the Englishman’s disrespectful statements?

As many have already proven, Valuev isn’t difficult to land a punch on but can Haye, who displayed awesome one shot power as a cruiserweight, put a dent in the very experienced Russian?

Ruslan Chagaev managed to outpoint Valuev two years ago and ageless wonder Evander Holyfield quite possibly did the same last December but they both outboxed the WBA champ and that has never been Haye’s game.

Haye is a slugger, pure and simple. A fast, accurate slugger who will be far, far quicker than the painfully slow Valuev. That much isn’t up for argument.

The challenger will have to take a lot of chances to land those big shots on such a taller adversary and that is where Haye will be at risk.

Conceivably going for the KO with almost every punch, Haye will invariably be open to counters and the man that hit the deck against Mormeck, Carl Thompson and Lolenga Mock could find himself in the same position.

Haye certainly isn’t lacking in heart and confidence to step all the way up to the heights of the division and that action alone has generated well-earned respect for the Bermondsey man.

But there’s a reason that Haye’s approach is unorthodox and skipping the ladder of merit based achievement as a heavyweight could come back to haunt him.