David Haye vs Wladimir Klitschko eyed for early 2009

[Shroomy]

You guys like counting chickens before they hatch? Now I hope this fight comes off. Some people have a warped perception of reality and come fight night they will be reset. You don't know how good Klitschko is because you haven't seen him in against stellar comp. Haye isn't it and Wlad will have another relatively easy night.

No he has been in with bums and he looks crap against them...

Here's my question to you: who has David Haye been in with who is better than either Klitschko or his best opponent? I went through his record and saw 3 names I recognized and none of them are better than the best Klitschko opponent and all but 5 were 200 pounds or less. Mormeck is crap in the 2nd half of any fight, Glen Kelly hasn't done anything amazing except give Roy Jones a spectacular KO win and Enzo Mac looked mundane (although that was because Haye completely overwhelmed him). But who else would you describe as "good" on Haye's record? They don't hit softer in the heavyweight division and they don't hit harder than Wladimir Klitschko.

On the other hand, Klitschko has fought, and beaten:

Tony Thompson
Sam Peter
Lamon Brewster
Chris Byrd
Sultan Ibragimov
Calvin Brock
Eliseo Castillo
Jameel McCline
Ray Mercer
Francois Botha


Granted, the last 3 weren't that good when he fought them, but you've at least heard of them. All the other fighters had winning records when he fought them, 3 of them had belts he took and he gave 4 of them their first loss. Klitschko has an 83.33% KO percentage after 54 fights and Haye has a 90.91% KO percentage after less than half that.

But somehow David Haye looks better to you, right?

you call that list good?

HA!

Those people wouldnt have lasted wioth people like Lewis and tyson

those are real heavyweights, not boring old wlad

when they fight ...come back to me kiddo

[Wayne]

you call that list good?

HA!

Those people wouldnt have lasted wioth people like Lewis and tyson

those are real heavyweights, not boring old wlad

when they fight ...come back to me kiddo

Way to skirt the answer.

How about they're all better than the people Haye's faced. Let's see anyone on Haye's resume match up against a Cruiser Holyfield. See how that works? Evasion is the tool of the desperate.

[Wayne]

you call that list good?

HA!

Those people wouldnt have lasted wioth people like Lewis and tyson

those are real heavyweights, not boring old wlad

when they fight ...come back to me kiddo

The same argument being leveraged against Wlad could be made against Tyson. The division was weak when Tyson was in his prime. What, an old, out-of-shape Lurry Holmes? An over-the-hill, scared shitless Michael Spinx? A Frank Bruno who wasn't looking for anything other than a paycheck? Tyson made fights with legends only after he needed the money (Holyfield & Lewis) and lost to guys like Holyfield & Douglas because he got lazy. I love Tyson, he's the reason I started watching boxing, but you really need to get real.

[Youngblood]

I think Haye is getting short-stepped to this fight if it goes down as planned. But it doesn't bother me. I think/thought Haye needs to earn the right to fight Wlad, but at this point in the shape of the HW division and lack of interest and dismay by boxing fans in general, I will be a happy camper if it pans out. Even happier if Haye can deliver in the ring.

Haye has fans. Haye has people talking. The HW division needs it. So bring it on I say...the division doesn't have a lot to lose if he falls flat on his face. The HW division is already on the canvas. It could only get better, not worse.

[Wayne]

I think Haye is getting short-stepped to this fight if it goes down as planned. But it doesn't bother me. I think/thought Haye needs to earn the right to fight Wlad, but at this point in the shape of the HW division and lack of interest and dismay by boxing fans in general, I will be a happy camper if it pans out. Even happier if Haye can deliver in the ring.

Haye has fans. Haye has people talking. The HW division needs it. So bring it on I say...the division doesn't have a lot to lose if he falls flat on his face. The HW division is already on the canvas. It could only get better, not worse.

So you really don't see more of the same if Haye steps up and gets clowned? The way I see it Haye would be leapfrogging someone who legitimately fought his way to the number 1 spot. And the only thing he has to do is fight some unnamed bum in November. Hey, let's knock the dust off Andrew Golota, he'll do.

There'll be the same revisionists who'll site that Haye was an unproven entity who should have had a few fights before matching up with the top guy. They'll lambast Klitschko the same way they do with any fighter who steps in the ring with a guy from a lower weight class and wins. It's a damned if you do, damned if you don't situation. I would say let Haye fight 3-4 guys with at least 1 top ten guy before fighting Wlad.

[Taeth]

Thank god this David Haye farce will end sooner then later.

[Youngblood]

I think Haye is getting short-stepped to this fight if it goes down as planned. But it doesn't bother me. I think/thought Haye needs to earn the right to fight Wlad, but at this point in the shape of the HW division and lack of interest and dismay by boxing fans in general, I will be a happy camper if it pans out. Even happier if Haye can deliver in the ring.

Haye has fans. Haye has people talking. The HW division needs it. So bring it on I say...the division doesn't have a lot to lose if he falls flat on his face. The HW division is already on the canvas. It could only get better, not worse.

So you really don't see more of the same if Haye steps up and gets clowned? The way I see it Haye would be leapfrogging someone who legitimately fought his way to the number 1 spot. And the only thing he has to do is fight some unnamed bum in November. Hey, let's knock the dust off Andrew Golota, he'll do.

There'll be the same revisionists who'll site that Haye was an unproven entity who should have had a few fights before matching up with the top guy. They'll lambast Klitschko the same way they do with any fighter who steps in the ring with a guy from a lower weight class and wins. It's a damned if you do, damned if you don't situation. I would say let Haye fight 3-4 guys with at least 1 top ten guy before fighting Wlad.

To the first highlighted part, I don't think the division can be any worse, so there is nothing to lose. Will someone be leapfrogged, yea...but this is business now and draw we are talking. (fan & business persective)

2nd part - I wanted Haye to earn his way there, at least a couple and a top 10'er. But at this point, I am willing to gamble on him for bringing some excitement back.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not sucking Hayes nuts, I found him annoying chasing after Wlad all over the place, and his confrontations. I didn't feel he deserved to be doing it...not like he was being ducked. And I also liked how Wlad handled it and agree. But the HW's are showing so very poorly, and the draw is terrible. It needs an injection of enthusiasm, and for now...Haye is that and worth the gamble IMO.

People are talking. Look at the media. Look at the messages boards. We are talking, here, now. That is interest. Interest = draw. Draw = $$...and I hoping also excitement. But this is boxing, we both know there are few certainties. So I say let's gamble.

[Fenster]

All this crap about "Haye needs to earn a shot at Wlad" is.. err crap.

Haye's credentials are - undisputed EXCITING cruiserweight champ, moving up to create some EXCITING heavyweight fights.

Haye is an ENTERTAINING fighter.

What BETTER heavyweight fight is there than Wlad-Haye?