Boxing News Boxing News
Three-time world cruiserweight champion David Haye is excited that his “David vs. Goliath” title fight Nov. 7 against WBA heavyweight champion Nikolai Valuev is being broadcast in North America live on Pay-Per-View from Nuremberg, Germany.
“This is very important for me,” Haye spoke about the fight airing in North America. “I’m looking to increase my fan base all the time. I hope a lot of American and Canadian fans know of me from what I achieved at cruiserweight, but I’m sure this will be the first time they’ve been able to watch me live since my cruiserweight unification clash with Enzo Maccarinelli.
“I’ve done a lot of training in America in the past and I’d love to defend my heavyweight title there one day. It’s extremely important that my next few fights are shown in the States as there are no great heavyweights being from the USA nowadays. I want to bring back the excitement and charisma that a lot of great American heavyweights of yesteryear brought in the ring.”
The outspoken Haye, (22-1, 21 KOs), from London, England, plans to showcase his superior quickness and athleticism versus Valuev, after leaving the cruiserweight division in ruins as the unified WBA/WBC/WBO cruiserweight champion before moving up to heavyweight last year.
Valuev (50-1, 34 KOs), from St. Petersburg, Russia, is the two-time and current WBA heavyweight champion who holds the distinction of being the tallest and heaviest champion in history at an intimidating 7 feet and 325 pounds.
“The Hayemaker” has taunted Valuev since their fight was first announced. “Getting riled-up and angry is never good for any fighter,” Haye noted. “It doesn’t allow you to think straight or follow a game plan. You start to fight emotionally, rather than tactfully.
“If I have gotten under Valuev’s skin, it will only affect his performance in a negative way. He’ll fight angry, throw wild punches and become reckless. The more angry punches he throws, the more chances there will be for me to counter punch him and find holes in his defense.
“I’m as freakishly fast as Valuev is freakishly big. That’s the key to this fight. I’m never going to be bigger or stronger than a guy like Valuev, no matter how hard I train or now many weights I lift. My main advantage going into this fight is raw speed, agility and explosiveness. I’ll be able to hit him multiple times for every one punch he attempts to land on me.”
Haye, whose only pro loss was 13 fights and five years ago to Carl Thompson (TKO5), has defeated four world cruiserweight champions: Enzo Maccarinelli (TKO1) for the WBA/WBC/WBO crowns, Jean Marc Mormeck (TKO7) for the WBC/WBA championships, Giacobbe Fragomeni (TKO9) for the European title and “King” Arthur Williams (TKO3).
“Beating Valuev by any means will confirm what I’ve said all along – I’m one of the top heavyweights in the world,” Haye concluded. “It will also fulfil my dream of becoming a world heavyweight champion. If I’m able to knock ‘The Beast’ clean out, them you’re looking at one of the biggest wins in the heavyweight division for years. That will be the evidence I need that my power has transferred up from cruiserweight and that I’m a genuine threat to every heavyweight on the planet.”
Valuev-Haye is promoted by Wilfried Sauerland’s Sauerland Event and its Managing Director, Christian Meyer, in association with Don King Productions. The broadcast is being distributed in the United States and Canada by Integrated Sports for live viewing at 3 PM/ET – 12 PM/PT on both cable and satellite pay-per-view via iN Demand, DIRECTV, TVN, DISH Network, Viewer’s Choice, Shaw PPV and Bell TV for a suggested retail price of only $24.95. A replay will be shown that same night at 9 PM/ET, 6 PM/PT.
