David Haye: Former world heavyweight champion retires from boxing

[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

[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.

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

I dunno about Haye sleeping Bell but it's more plausible than the much talked about Haye v Holyfield 'what if' when he went up . Bell could bang and he got Mormeck out first and he also grabbed The Ring belt. Surely Haye benefited a bit from the 22 rounds of lumber Bell put on Mormeck prior but guess that goes for anyone after the fact. True true 3 belts qualify but still..the wbo . Bell did go out rough. Came back for 1 win then next we heard he was being gunned down by street trash. Sad really.

[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

I dunno about Haye sleeping Bell but it's more plausible than the much talked about Haye v Holyfield 'what if' when he went up . Bell could bang and he got Mormeck out first and he also grabbed The Ring belt. Surely Haye benefited a bit from the 22 rounds of lumber Bell put on Mormeck prior but guess that goes for anyone after the fact. True true 3 belts qualify but still..the wbo . Bell did go out rough. Came back for 1 win then next we heard he was being gunned down by street trash. Sad really.

I'll give you the WBO bit actually you royal flushed me there
Would have loved to see Haye v Bell, would have been a shootout i just think Haye had the speed to get in and land big first, shame we never saw it but the timing was all wrong unfortunately and i don't think Haye would have even if he could as he was telling anyone who'd listen he wanted the Heavyweight move as soon as he won the European strap.
Didn't Bell end up stabbed then shot during some robbery that turned bad?
Well very bad because he died

[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.

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

I dunno about Haye sleeping Bell but it's more plausible than the much talked about Haye v Holyfield 'what if' when he went up . Bell could bang and he got Mormeck out first and he also grabbed The Ring belt. Surely Haye benefited a bit from the 22 rounds of lumber Bell put on Mormeck prior but guess that goes for anyone after the fact. True true 3 belts qualify but still..the wbo . Bell did go out rough. Came back for 1 win then next we heard he was being gunned down by street trash. Sad really.

I'll give you the WBO bit actually you royal flushed me there
Would have loved to see Haye v Bell, would have been a shootout i just think Haye had the speed to get in and land big first, shame we never saw it but the timing was all wrong unfortunately and i don't think Haye would have even if he could as he was telling anyone who'd listen he wanted the Heavyweight move as soon as he won the European strap.
Didn't Bell end up stabbed then shot during some robbery that turned bad?
Well very bad because he died

Yeh for sure, all jokes aside no denying speed and power of Haye and what massive opportunity he had at that moment. Inexplicably though he made it to the mount, Wlad, and just left it at that and walked away for years. Bell always struck me a little off and had his problems with the law and a violent temper. Beat up a neighbor, hit a girlfriend and threw a hatchet at a friend in training camp. Later diagnosed Bi poler and court ordered medicated and was murdered getting off a bus just a month after he spent a couple years in prison.

[brocktonblockbust]

David Haye was a piece of human garbage who is doing the sport of boxing a really good favored by finally getting the hell out hopefully this time permanently. He was never any good and was a complete charlatan from the very beginning. Completely overhyped. One listing all the problems he has had and all the physical injuries he forgot to mention the really biggest one of all time which was that little pinky toe injury he had against Klitschko hahaha

[Primo Carnera]

David Haye was a piece of human garbage who is doing the sport of boxing a really good favored by finally getting the hell out hopefully this time permanently. He was never any good and was a complete charlatan from the very beginning. Completely overhyped. One listing all the problems he has had and all the physical injuries he forgot to mention the really biggest one of all time which was that little pinky toe injury he had against Klitschko hahaha

He woulda beat your ass big time!

[Batman]

David Haye was a piece of human garbage who is doing the sport of boxing a really good favored by finally getting the hell out hopefully this time permanently. He was never any good and was a complete charlatan from the very beginning. Completely overhyped. One listing all the problems he has had and all the physical injuries he forgot to mention the really biggest one of all time which was that little pinky toe injury he had against Klitschko hahaha

He woulda beat your ass big time!

Nah man, my money would be on Brock, did you see him training for GGG, Brock is a fucking machine

[TitoFan]

David Haye was a piece of human garbage who is doing the sport of boxing a really good favored by finally getting the hell out hopefully this time permanently. He was never any good and was a complete charlatan from the very beginning. Completely overhyped. One listing all the problems he has had and all the physical injuries he forgot to mention the really biggest one of all time which was that little pinky toe injury he had against Klitschko hahaha

I have to take exception with part of what you said. What the hell do you mean by "hahaha"?

[holmcall]

Classy way to go out