The heavyweight division needs excitement

[Youngblood]

David Haye doesn't excite me from a personality stand point. Maybe it's the accent or something, but he just doesn't strike me as a very attractive, let alone intimidating figure.

Plus, I don't think he has the spark. There's a certain spark that every era defining fighter must have, and I don't get it from him.

Era defining fighter, most likely not. He does bring an exciting game to the hw division though, and it is something people want to see, and why we are discussing it now. Hope to see him get a fight or two under his belt here, and if he does as most of us expect him to do...THEN and only then will I start to enjoy his chasing down WLAD on escalators etc.

He does have people talking.

[aburwell89]

David Haye doesn't excite me from a personality stand point. Maybe it's the accent or something, but he just doesn't strike me as a very attractive, let alone intimidating figure.

Plus, I don't think he has the spark. There's a certain spark that every era defining fighter must have, and I don't get it from him.

Era defining fighter, most likely not. He does bring an exciting game to the hw division though, and it is something people want to see, and why we are discussing it now. Hope to see him get a fight or two under his belt here, and if he does as most of us expect him to do...THEN and only then will I start to enjoy his chasing down WLAD on escalators etc.

He does have people talking.

Oh I'll never doubt him in the ring, he's a great fighter, I just don't know if he has the persona. Every time I see him in interviews, he seems like he really forces his attitude, it seems... Fake in a way, like he's trying to act the way he thinks people want him to.

[jmbtandy]

David Haye doesn't excite me from a personality stand point. Maybe it's the accent or something, but he just doesn't strike me as a very attractive, let alone intimidating figure.

Plus, I don't think he has the spark. There's a certain spark that every era defining fighter must have, and I don't get it from him.

Era defining fighter, most likely not. He does bring an exciting game to the hw division though, and it is something people want to see, and why we are discussing it now. Hope to see him get a fight or two under his belt here, and if he does as most of us expect him to do...THEN and only then will I start to enjoy his chasing down WLAD on escalators etc.

He does have people talking.

Oh I'll never doubt him in the ring, he's a great fighter, I just don't know if he has the persona. Every time I see him in interviews, he seems like he really forces his attitude, it seems... Fake in a way, like he's trying to act the way he thinks people want him to.

Sportsmen always struggle with interviews, it is not their strength, you have to look at the attitude and how they conduct themselves in the ring, going into the Maccarinelli fight Haye was cool calm and collected and in the ring he got the job done, he is not a tv personality he is a boxer, apart from a few guys boxers aren't always the best guys when taking one to one outside the ring, and i am sure it is very similar in a lot of other sports.

[aburwell89]

Era defining fighter, most likely not. He does bring an exciting game to the hw division though, and it is something people want to see, and why we are discussing it now. Hope to see him get a fight or two under his belt here, and if he does as most of us expect him to do...THEN and only then will I start to enjoy his chasing down WLAD on escalators etc.

He does have people talking.

Oh I'll never doubt him in the ring, he's a great fighter, I just don't know if he has the persona. Every time I see him in interviews, he seems like he really forces his attitude, it seems... Fake in a way, like he's trying to act the way he thinks people want him to.

Sportsmen always struggle with interviews, it is not their strength, you have to look at the attitude and how they conduct themselves in the ring, going into the Maccarinelli fight Haye was cool calm and collected and in the ring he got the job done, he is not a tv personality he is a boxer, apart from a few guys boxers aren't always the best guys when taking one to one outside the ring, and i am sure it is very similar in a lot of other sports.

I think you're missing the point. People want superstars. Haye, despite all of his talents as a fighter, is not a superstar. What makes a superstar depends entirely on how they approach it. Ali built up hype by running his mouth and being funny while doing it, Tyson built up hype as his career progressed by acting invincible and crazy. Shit, even guys like Foreman who in my opinion had the personality of a rock in his early years had star power because of how he conducted himself.

Do you have to be a superstar to be a great fighter? No, but it's that " it " factor that packs arenas and gets people excited.

[jmbtandy]

Oh I'll never doubt him in the ring, he's a great fighter, I just don't know if he has the persona. Every time I see him in interviews, he seems like he really forces his attitude, it seems... Fake in a way, like he's trying to act the way he thinks people want him to.

Sportsmen always struggle with interviews, it is not their strength, you have to look at the attitude and how they conduct themselves in the ring, going into the Maccarinelli fight Haye was cool calm and collected and in the ring he got the job done, he is not a tv personality he is a boxer, apart from a few guys boxers aren't always the best guys when taking one to one outside the ring, and i am sure it is very similar in a lot of other sports.

I think you're missing the point. People want superstars. Haye, despite all of his talents as a fighter, is not a superstar. What makes a superstar depends entirely on how they approach it. Ali built up hype by running his mouth and being funny while doing it, Tyson built up hype as his career progressed by acting invincible and crazy. Shit, even guys like Foreman who in my opinion had the personality of a rock in his early years had star power because of how he conducted himself.

Do you have to be a superstar to be a great fighter? No, but it's that " it " factor that packs arenas and gets people excited.

Funny but I am pretty sure the O2 was packed out, and an army went over to France to see him beat Mormeck, and the fight with Maccarinelli got lots and lots of Hype, what was it 3 or 4 pages in the ring magazine, not bad for an English fight, so hey he must be doing something right, and I can't believe you mentioned George Foreman, surely he is generating the same type of entertainment as Haye, punching power, didn't you just contradict yourself mentioning him

[aburwell89]

Sportsmen always struggle with interviews, it is not their strength, you have to look at the attitude and how they conduct themselves in the ring, going into the Maccarinelli fight Haye was cool calm and collected and in the ring he got the job done, he is not a tv personality he is a boxer, apart from a few guys boxers aren't always the best guys when taking one to one outside the ring, and i am sure it is very similar in a lot of other sports.

I think you're missing the point. People want superstars. Haye, despite all of his talents as a fighter, is not a superstar. What makes a superstar depends entirely on how they approach it. Ali built up hype by running his mouth and being funny while doing it, Tyson built up hype as his career progressed by acting invincible and crazy. Shit, even guys like Foreman who in my opinion had the personality of a rock in his early years had star power because of how he conducted himself.

Do you have to be a superstar to be a great fighter? No, but it's that " it " factor that packs arenas and gets people excited.

Funny but I am pretty sure the O2 was packed out, and an army went over to France to see him beat Mormeck, and the fight with Maccarinelli got lots and lots of Hype, what was it 3 or 4 pages in the ring magazine, not bad for an English fight, so hey he must be doing something right, and I can't believe you mentioned George Foreman, surely he is generating the same type of entertainment as Haye, punching power, didn't you just contradict yourself mentioning him

I was speaking from a personality stand point.

Also, I'll have you know that I could ask 100 people in my neighborhood if they know who David Haye is and I can pretty much bank on 95 of them not knowing, and the other five only having a faint idea.

That's not star power.

[jmbtandy]

I know where you are coming from but the media has a lot to do with that, not necessarily the boxer in question. Most British people when asked to name current UK boxers will struggle to get past Joe Calzaghe and Ricky Hatton. Everyone who is a boxing fan knows who he is, all over the world. I am currently in camp over in the states and the Haye v Macc fight was on nearly everyones lips.

[Spicoli]

In an odd way I like the Heavyweight division being in a somewhat rebuilding phase.It killls me when Im making small talk through the day and some one ask me "Yeah,I like Boxing........BTW, when is Tyson fighting again" or some broadbrush s!!! like that.They have absolutly no clue about the current sport & the great fighters they are missing.Part time suedo fans Lol.The exposure and huge lighter weight fights that we have seen the last number of years is great.......and a long time coming.Point blank....The days of The mostly American Heavyweight dominance are gone.

I do see Haye as lighting some fires and creating an Interest just on sheer volume of voice and showmanship,Not to mention a big right hand.He will need far more than that to duplicate the past accomplishmnets of top heavys like Tyson,Holyfield,Lewis,etc.No man does it alone ,They all helped put each other on the front page in different ways.

[TitoFan]

In an odd way I like the Heavyweight division being in a somewhat rebuilding phase.It killls me when Im making small talk through the day and some one ask me "Yeah,I like Boxing........BTW, when is Tyson fighting again" or some broadbrush s!!! like that.They have absolutly no clue about the current sport & the great fighters they are missing.Part time suedo fans Lol.The exposure and huge lighter weight fights that we have seen the last number of years is great.......and a long time coming.Point blank....The days of The mostly American Heavyweight dominance are gone.

I do see Haye as lighting some fires and creating an Interest just on sheer volume of voice and showmanship,Not to mention a big right hand.He will need far more than that to duplicate the past accomplishmnets of top heavys like Tyson,Holyfield,Lewis,etc.No man does it alone ,They all helped put each other on the front page in different ways.

Damn right! Good post, and I agree 100%. The casual boxing fan can only talk about Tyson and stuff like, and has no clue as to the great boxing in the lower weight classes. And because the HW's are in such sad shape nowadays, it sort of forces the focus on the lower, more exciting weight divisions.

[ICB]

I think there is a quite a few exciting match ups to be made at Heavyweight the only problem is that the fights aren't happening. But with Haye moving up to hopefully fight Wladimir or Peter as soon as possible that should bring some excitement in Heavyweight.

Samuel Peter vs David Haye
David Haye vs Wladimir Klitschko
Andrew Golota vs Alexander Povetkin

etc.

[jmbtandy]

I think there is a quite a few exciting match ups to be made at Heavyweight the only problem is that the fights aren't happening. But with Haye moving up to hopefully fight Wladimir or Peter as soon as possible that should bring some excitement in Heavyweight.

Samuel Peter vs David Haye
David Haye vs Wladimir Klitschko
Andrew Golota vs Alexander Povetkin

etc.

Sorry did you mention Golota v Povetkin as an exciting fight

Really?