Haye Tips Froch To Take IBF Crown From Bute

Former world heavyweight and cruiserweight champion David Haye believes countryman Carl Froch will once again lift a world title belt this coming weekend, when the Nottingham man battles unbeaten Romanian Lucian Bute for the IBF world super-middleweight crown.

Haye and Froch competed alongside one another as senior amateurs – both medalling at the World Amateur Championships in 2001 – and have remained friends ever since. While ‘The Hayemaker’ used speed and punch power to win pro titles in two separate weight-classes, ‘The Cobra’ capitalised on heavy hands, granite chin and dogged determination to become one of the super-middleweight division’s most exciting and accomplished fighters.

On Saturday (May 26) night in Nottingham, the former two-time WBC world champion looks to complete a hat-trick of belts at 168lbs, and Haye will be ringside to watch it all unfold.

“You’d be a fool to miss a Carl Froch fight,” said Haye. “Time and time again he has proven himself to be one of the world’s most exciting fighters, and whenever he sets foot in the ring you know he’s going to be in there fighting his heart out from first bell to last.

“This fight on Saturday night is a huge one for Carl, as a win will put him right back up at the top of his division. And, although Bute is very good in his own right, I have every faith in Carl and believe he can outwork the champion over the course of twelve rounds.

“Remember, Carl has the chin and the heart to go blow-to-blow with most in his weight-class, and I don’t see anything special in Bute that would make me doubt Carl’s chances. Yes, he’s unbeaten and talented, but he’s also been put in the kind of trouble Carl has yet to experience so far in his career. Bute was within seconds of losing to Librado Andrade a few years back, and Froch brings a similar kind of heat, especially when spurred on by his home crowd.

“He can take Bute to a dark place and overwhelm him on Saturday night. I see him doing something similar to what Ricky Hatton did against Kostya Tszyu in 2005.”

Though clearly a fan of Froch’s relentless style and toughness, it is the Nottingham scrapper’s fight-all-comers mentality that most impresses Haye.

“Carl just doesn’t do easy fights,” he said. “I’ve often joked with him about the need to have a Dereck Chisora in his division, so he can have a nice payday and a bit of a ‘gimme’, but there are no such opponents in his weight-class.

“Subsequently, Carl has to do everything the hard way and has gone up against most of the top super-middleweights from his era. Never once has he been dominated or looked out of his depth, and he deserves maximum respect for always seeking out the best possible opposition. If there’s any justice, Saturday night will be the crowning moment of a glorious career.”