Quote Originally Posted by Memphis View Post
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