Boxing In Germany: Haye Vows To KO WBA Champ Valuev

A brash, confident David Haye is going for a knockout Saturday against 2-time and reigning WBA heavyweight champion Nikolai Valuev in their 12-round title fight headlining the “David vs. Goliath” Pay-Per-View event being shown in North American live from Nuremberg, Germany.

Haye, (22-1, 21 KOs), from London, ruled the cruiserweight division as unified champion – defeating world champions Enzo Maccarinelli, Jean Marc Mormeck, Giacobbe Fragomeni and “King” Arthur Williams – before moving up to the heavyweight division a year ago.

“I’ll go out there and look to knock Valuev clean out,” the outspoken Haye didn’t pull any punches. “That’s the way I want to win every fight and this fight is not going to be any different. I’ll become the new WBA world heavyweight champion on November 7.

“I’ll do it with speed. Fast, explosive movements and clever movements are the way to beat Valuev. Ruslan Chagaev outpointed him simply by being the cleverer and slicker fighter. He moved when he had to and he threw shots when he had to. I’m quicker and more explosive than Chagaev.”

The quick, hard-punching Haye will not be deterred by spotting the 7-foot, 325-odd pound Valuev (50-1, 34 KOs), from St. Petersburg, Russia, about 100 pounds and 9-inches. “I don’t care what I weigh,” David answered a question about his expected weight on fight night.

“I haven’t looked at the scales all through training camp. So long as I’m fit and sharp at the weight, I’m not bothered what the scales say. As far as bring my power up, I have no doubt I’ll hit hard enough to knock out top heavyweights.

“I’ve never been in the ring with an opponent – amateur, sparring, or as a pro – who hasn’t respected my punching power. I’ve floored top heavyweights, in the gym and in the ring, and none of them can ever believe how hard I punch for a smaller guy.

“It’s never much fun getting hit by a man weighing 23 stone, so I’m not underestimating the power he generates. He must hit fairly hard. Technically, he does most things right. He’s a well-schooled fighter that has improved over the years.

“Saying that, though, his last five fights have gone the distance, and I certainly don’t think he’s the fearsome and terrifying puncher he perhaps should be for a man of that size.”

Two-time WBA heavyweight champion John “The Quietman” Ruiz (43-8-1, 29 KOs), the current WBA No. 1 rated and “official challenger,” meets ex-IBU champion Adnan “Aachen Assassin” Serin (19-10-1, 7 KOs) in the opening live PPV bout on the Valuev-Haye. Additional undercard bouts will also air on the PPV telecast.

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.