Thread: Team Haye thought fight would be stopped

TEAM HAYE THOUGHT FIGHT WOULD BE STOPPED


By Ant Evans: While the quick KOs of former champions Arthur Williams and Alex Gurov probably look better in the black and white of David Haye's 18-1 (17KOs) professional record, for me the Hayemaker's best win undoubtedly came last Friday in London when he subdued and stopped game ultra-game Italian Giacobbe Fragomeni in nine exciting rounds.

The manner of the victory was the perfect tonic for Haye's reputation, which is still yet to be fully rehabilitated in the wake of his September 2004 loss to Carl Thompson. In that fight, Haye started powerfully but faded and seemed mentally affected when the old warhorse didn't fall to his power punches. An exhausted Haye was stopped in five rounds.

And perhaps Haye's critics expected a similar scenario last Friday at the York Hall, when Fragomeni, too, refused to wilt under the weight of the Hayemaker's early bombs. The brave Italian won some rounds, too, and even seemed on the verge of a stoppage win when a right hook sliced Haye's left eye wide open in the middle rounds.

"At the end of the eighth I was ready to tell David he'd got about a minute left to stop Fragomeni," admitted Haye's trainer/manager Adam Booth. "But then I decided that I shouldn't worry David about it. The cut was very bad, it was deep, and there was a lot of blood. If it was an inexperienced referee in the fight, I think the fight would have been stopped but Daniel Van de Wiele is a fantastic referee and I could see that he wasn't looking to stop the fight.

"Van de Wiele could see David was wasn't blinded by the blood and was still landing his own shot accurately, so, given the situation, I felt there was no reason to let David know how bad the cut was until after the fight. David was boxing a very mature fight, he had just got his man back under control, and I didn't want to panic him into changing the gameplan again."

Haye had eight stitches in his eye, but they have since been removed.

Booth, who is great friends with his charge, is very proud of Haye's performance. "I'm very, very happy with what David produced not just in the ring but in training for the fight. He really worked so hard, he was in tremendous shape and that showed because he still had the same power in his shots at the end of the fight as he did in the first round.

"The left hook to the body was what won him the fight; David really hurt Fragomeni with that hook and when David has a fighter hurt he goes right after them."

Booth laughed: "David looked like a West Indian fast-bowler charging after Fragomeni to finish the fight. We're now calling that punch the Hayemaker, he just ran after him and whacked him to the floor."

With the win, Haye has been installed as the WBC's No.1 contender and will face the winner of the upcoming O'Neil Bell v Jean-Marc Mormeck rematch.

Opinion is split as to whether or not Haye is quite ready for to take on the very best in the division just yet, though.

Booth offered his thoughts: "David got caught a little too often on Friday because the opponent was employing good tactics but also because his defense wasn't what it should and can be. We have got things to work on, but David won't be fighting for the title for a while yet anyway. Bell and Mormeck rematch by February and David will fight the winner probably in the summer."

Promoter Don King is yet to announce where or when Bell v Mormeck II will take place but the WBC have ordered it to take place no later than February. Team Haye is hoping for a repeat of January's KO win for Bell.

Booth said: "I hope Bell beats Mormeck again because his style is better suited for us that Mormeck. Honestly, I'd take Bell now whereas I'd wait a little while if Mormeck regains his title. Bell has a puncher's chance against anyone, and he'll be just as dangerous no matter when we fight him. Mormeck, meanwhile, is a little more cagey and I'd like David to be a little more prepared for that."

Booth added that Haye will fight again in March and await Bell v Mormeck II winner in early summer 2007.

Van De Wiele is a good Ref who doesnt panic, Hes one of those you can trust as long as your in the Home corner

Was about 15 feet away from Haye when Frag landed 4 solid shot's ,with the 4th opening him up.
Soon as his glove came away the cut leaked.
Great night

Nice article. I like the honesty of Booth

Maybe Haye is about to transcend the M25...

That said I never really saw the point of having him fight anywhere but London. Maloneys got it bob on I reckon

The cut was pretty deep... he was lucky with the position of it really.

Haye held himself together pretty well

Yeah he really impressed me still having that power,aggression and drive at that stage especially when you consider his stamina worries of past years.
Think that fight will have done him loads of good for the future too

Mate, you and Hayemaker still best mates?

How's the cut healing?

I think he's more worried about his Missus,Natasha's gash at present mate

She sat next to me when he fought in Huddersfield

She is stunning,had a beer with her after the Gurov fight with my missus in tow.
They got on really well.....






















So well infact that myself and the Hayemaker got wood

As saddo said the position of the cut wasnt bad, would have been all over if that was above the eye.

As impressed as I was there were still nagging douibts about Haye. He still went a little bit haymaker happy at the slightest sign of opportunity. Its like he feels obliged to pull out the big guns every time he lands clean becasue the other bloke just has to go down. He still needs to settle down a bit and erase the dodgy moments he has in fights. Had he done that he would have put away Johannson and Fragomeni in good style with zero trouble.

Originally Posted by Smashup

So well infact that myself and the Hayemaker got wood

hope you guys wernt along in the toilet at the time

How do you think i got the f*cking interview!!!!

I thought you were F*cking about when you said i had access to the ring apron.

Was a bad cut, but I didnt think it would be stopped as it was more to the side of his head than directly on the eye, hence the bleeding wasnt affecting his vision.

I never really doubted Haye would win, but does no-one else think fragomeni chucked it a bit prematurely? Haye was really coming on at that point and the previously game frago suddenly didnt want to know, but he didnt seem to be in much trouble - perhaps he hid it well!?

Originally Posted by Scrap

Van De Wiele is a good Ref who doesnt panic, Hes one of those you can trust as long as your in the Home corner

And he also solves crimes in Amsterdam on Tuesday evenings on UK Gold.