David Haye: Former world heavyweight champion retires from boxing

[Master]

David Haye: Former world heavyweight champion retires from boxing

The 37-year-old lost his last fight in May, a heavyweight rematch against fellow Briton Tony Bellew, after losing the first contest in March 2017.

Haye is also a former cruiserweight world champion and ends his career with a record of four defeats in 32 fights.

He said he was "ready to close this chapter in my life" but "this is not the end of my story - it's simply the start of something new".

Haye became European cruiserweight champion and went on to win the WBC, WBO and WBA world titles before stepping up to heavyweight.

He beat Russian Nikolay Valuev to claim the WBA heavyweight crown in 2009.

In doing so, he became only the second boxer after American Evander Holyfield to unify the cruiserweight titles and become a heavyweight world champion.

The victory also meant he was the first Briton to hold a world heavyweight crown since Lennox Lewis.

However, after his fifth-round stoppage by Bellew, Haye acknowledged he was "giving 100% effort but performing way below world level".

In a statement, he added: "For my fans, it must have been like going to support their favourite thoroughbred racehorse at the Grand National, only to see their stallion stumble out the gates like a sedated mule at the Donkey Derby.

"I saw punches coming but wasn't quick enough to avoid them. I created openings but lacked the speed and agility to capitalise on them.

"Quick, bread and butter counterattacks, the sort I've effortlessly thrown since my teenage years, are no longer in my armoury. And when I take shots, they now shake me to my boots.

"The things I used to be able to do in the ring - instinctively - now exist only in my mind and in video clips of my old fights."

He added: "The boxing gods have spoken. They will no longer protect me with the freakish speed and power I used to possess.

"And without these God-given gifts, I completely lose my edge."

Haye thought he was in "tip-top shape" going into the fight against Bellew but "looks can be deceiving" as he also admitted he would have fought more in the second half of his career but for injuries to stop him doing so.

"Often it was a fight just getting to the ring in one piece," he said.

"In the past five years I have snapped (fully ruptured) both biceps, my rotator cuff and my Achilles tendon.

"All four injuries were potentially career-ending and each of them required operations with months of intense rehabilitation.

"The biggest physical challenge I had to face, however, was a spinal surgery in March 2015."

Haye also announced his retirement in October 2011, three months after losing his WBA belt to Ukrainian Wladimir Klitscho in Germany, but he returned to the ring the following year.

This time around, he said: "I'm proud of the battles I've been through. I'm proud, too, that I exit the battlefield happy and healthy, with my family financially secure.

"Most importantly, I can reflect on it all with crystal clarity."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/boxing/44455690

[Mark TKO]

Not surprising.

A big fan in the early days but annoyed me how he milked the fans towards end of his career when he had little desire left.

[El Kabong]

Good riddance to bad rubbish

[Batman]

Hopefully this is the last time I'll have to say this...

David Haye is a cunt, that is all

[X]

He was a very good amateur and easily the greatest cruiserweight of his generation. You could make a decent argument that he was probably in the top two or three cruiserweights who ever operated at that level.

He was always entertaining to watch and a fantastic athlete with great reflexes, power and timing.

Unfortunately, his heavyweight career was a ten year con job. He pulled out of multiple fights and I do think his unorthodox training methods contributed to the terrible injuries he suffered.

Fighting the likes of Audley Harrison, Monte Barret, John Ruiz, Valuev and the mighty Arnold Gjergjai and Mark de Mori (never mind the journeyman Bellew) did not deserve big purses, media exposure or pay per view.

I never thought his marriage would last long, as David is clearly in love with himself more than he could possibly give to another.

[El Kabong]

He was a very good amateur and easily the greatest cruiserweight of his generation. You could make a decent argument that he was probably in the top two or three cruiserweights who ever operated at that level.

He was always entertaining to watch and a fantastic athlete with great reflexes, power and timing.

Unfortunately, his heavyweight career was a ten year con job. He pulled out of multiple fights and I do think his unorthodox training methods contributed to the terrible injuries he suffered.

Fighting the likes of Audley Harrison, Monte Barret, John Ruiz, Valuev and the mighty Arnold Gjergjai and Mark de Mori (never mind the journeyman Bellew) did not deserve big purses, media exposure or pay per view.

I never thought his marriage would last long, as David is clearly in love with himself more than he could possibly give to another.

I was not conned and I told all yall about Haye from the get go! So much so that people were all "Why do you ALWAYS call out David Haye! You're just a Hater!".....oh I hate that sumbeech alright, people we thinking he was the next Naseem Hamed....they weren't far off. He would beat anyone sans pulse and then get his ass kicked and retire because of a bad pinky toe


This one I certainly called, Haye was a bum he is a bum, he was a cruiserweight, best cruiserweight of his era who cares, he did diddly poo in the heavyweight division. Audley, Monte Barrett, Valuev, Ruiz, Chisora, De Mori, Gjergjaj....those are the heavyweights David Haye beat....pathetic

[Ron Swanson]

Let's be real, you can't beat Valuev to be HW champion when Valuev lost his belt to Chagaev. I don't care if a sanctioning body stole it back from Chagaev. If you don't win a championship you are not a champion. Haye beat former champion Valuev.

[Dark Lord Al]

Let's be real, you can't beat Valuev to be HW champion when Valuev lost his belt to Chagaev. I don't care if a sanctioning body stole it back from Chagaev. If you don't win a championship you are not a champion. Haye beat former champion Valuev.

To be fair I didn't think he beat Valuev.

[Master]

Let's be real, you can't beat Valuev to be HW champion when Valuev lost his belt to Chagaev. I don't care if a sanctioning body stole it back from Chagaev. If you don't win a championship you are not a champion. Haye beat former champion Valuev.

I thought maybe Valuev won it again

[Drago]

Not surprising.

A big fan in the early days but annoyed me how he milked the fans towards end of his career when he had little desire left.

agree, I started to dislike him when he became a heavweight

[Drago]

Not surprising.

A big fan in the early days but annoyed me how he milked the fans towards end of his career when he had little desire left.

agree, I started to dislike him when he became a heavweight

actually his heavyweight title defences are on par with riddick bowe as in quality of opponents

[Memphis]

Like a lot of people I was a massive fan of Haye for most of his career.

There were lows in his career and no one should try to gloss over them, but by the same token they shouldn't make the highs no longer admissible. World amateur Silver, English, Euro and multiple World champion in the paid ranks, you cant pretend all that, you have to have something and that's exactly what Haye had. Star quality, X factor, the stuff you cant pretend, you've either got it or you don't, Haye had it.

His heavyweight career is seen as something of a joke, it's easy to see why. Not sure I'd agree with it mind. The finer details can and will be argued until the cows come home but Barrett, Ruiz, Harrison, Valuev, Klitschko and Chisora isn't a bad little cameo as a heavyweight. Those are are the kind of names and calibre of fighter that when you shoe horn in a BIG win, starts to make a great career.

An injury free Haye was a force of nature with a missile right hand that almost always got the job done. Yeah I enjoyed watching him fight.

[smashup]

Like a lot of people I was a massive fan of Haye for most of his career.

There were lows in his career and no one should try to gloss over them, but by the same token they shouldn't make the highs no longer admissible. World amateur Silver, English, Euro and multiple World champion in the paid ranks, you cant pretend all that, you have to have something and that's exactly what Haye had. Star quality, X factor, the stuff you cant pretend, you've either got it or you don't, Haye had it.

His heavyweight career is seen as something of a joke, it's easy to see why. Not sure I'd agree with it mind. The finer details can and will be argued until the cows come home but Barrett, Ruiz, Harrison, Valuev, Klitschko and Chisora isn't a bad little cameo as a heavyweight. Those are are the kind of names and calibre of fighter that when you shoe horn in a BIG win, starts to make a great career.

An injury free Haye was a force of nature with a missile right hand that almost always got the job done. Yeah I enjoyed watching him fight.

Bang on son

I'm of the same thinking all in all.....

People also forget that pre Hearn/Matchroom UK boxing was in a pretty shit state, Calzaghe, Hatton and Haye were the only ones really flying the flag and keeping the UK scene relevant.

Hatton and Haye were the ones bringing the fans and doing Huge PPV numbers (Calzaghe not so much even though he was the best fighter of the 3 by a mile)

Yeah Haye pissed me off with his performance against Wlad but he had some solid wins at Heavyweight and usually by KO.

He was at his most lethal imo when he fought Enzo and absolutely destroyed him, the reflexes, timing and speed he threw that first counter right hand with that visibly rearranged Enzos haircut was Ali like and he then went on battered him silly shortly after (Haye was a lethal finisher)

He was never a Huge Heavyweight either which is something people also forget.

Personally i was lucky enough to see him twice from ringside - against Gurov when he smashed him in 40 seconds to win the European Cruiser title, then had a beer with him after and a chat, met his then wife Natasha and he was sound as and a really genuine nice guy with a big personality, he told me then at the bar he wanted to do what Holyfield did and go and win a Heavyweight strap.

Second time was against Fragomenni when he got a bad cut midway and was being dragged into a fierce war then pulled out something special from nowhere and stopped the tough Italian - I've been to Londons legendary York Hall loads of times and never seen/heard an atmosphere like there was that night.

The place was electric and absolutely rocking and wall to wall with celebrities and hot women everywhere.

Haye brought excitement, Glamour and that showbiz factor everytime he fought for a long period and at a time when the UK scene was pretty much dead compared to what it is now.

It's no secret he was a player/womaniser and a party boy outside of boxing which is why him and Booth parted ways, makes you wonder how things might have been even better if he was your boring non charisma type and he stuck with Booth?

On the whole a great UK fighter and he gave me some great nights and great fights over the years.

Ain't really got a bad word to say about him and happy for him he's chosen to turn it in with his brain intact and cash in the bank

[Spicoli]

Has always felt like he essentially retired after his first significant heavyweight win and initial defense. Think he could have done so much more but he settled on twitter wars and laying an egg in his showdown with "glass chin" Wlad. Wonder if he ever got his money back for those dumb t shirts. And I see it said a lot about unifying cruiser but did he really? I mean the wbo. while O'Neil Bell unified the 3 major belts Holyfield actually held.

[smashup]

Has always felt like he essentially retired after his first significant heavyweight win and initial defense. Think he could have done so much more but he settled on twitter wars and laying an egg in his showdown with "glass chin" Wlad. Wonder if he ever got his money back for those dumb t shirts. And I see it said a lot about unifying cruiser but did he really? I mean the wbo. while O'Neil Bell unified the 3 major belts Holyfield actually held.

Thing is Bell won then lost the belts to the guy Haye bashed up in Mormeck then he (Bell) went on a losing streak and dissapeared, Haye was looking to move to Heavyweight well before he got the WBA, WBC and WBO plus the Ring mag belt in he Enzo fight.

3 belts qualifies for unifying and personally i think he'd have put Bell to sleep