Features

Haye takes all the plaudits

Author: Lynda Collins
Date: 11/11/2009
Boxing betting

Now the dust has settled on David Haye's weekend success over Russian Nikolai Valuev in Germany, perhaps now is the time to give the London-born WBA World Heavyweight champion some credit.

His record now reads 23 wins from 24 bouts, with 21 of those successes coming from knockouts.

A single defeat in 2004 against Carl Thompson blots his copy-book and he has come a long way since then.

Although Saturday's duel was hardly eventful, Haye showed signs of class and efficiency by outscoring his seven-foot opponent with accuracy and controlled aggressive hits.

He never looked as though he would knock him down but the cliche of 'hit and don't be hit' was what Haye grasped and followed out to gain the verdict from two of the three judges - the other called a draw.

He bamboozled him with his fleet-footed movement as he demonstrated his genuine heavyweight credentials.

After rising through the weights, the Hayemaker's stunning victory against Enzo Maccarinelli in March 2008 was his last fight at cruiserweight level and his move has so far proved fruitful following an earlier victory against American journeyman Monte Barrett.

But now the real hard work will start for the hard-hitting Brit.

He is expected to defend his crown against perennial challenger John Ruiz, a former two-time WBA World Heavyweight champion, who lost the title Haye now holds against Valuev back in 2005.

If Haye is to be revered in the same light as former British heavyweight greats, such as Lennox Lewis and Frank Bruno of more recent times, he must first dispose of Ruiz and then possibly encounter arguably the best heavyweight boxers in the world - Vitali and Wladimir Klitschko.

Vitali holds the WBC world heavyweight belt and younger brother Wladimir IBF, WBO, IBO and Ring Magazine world heavyweight titles.

It is thought Haye made around £5million from the Valuev bout and the doubting American TV companies could take note of his box office potential.

A success against Ruiz could see a return to Germany to face Wladimir, thought to be the weaker option of the brothers and, if he could outgun him, a much sought-after title fight against Vitali could be arranged which could, potentially, see Haye become the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world.

He has always said he would draw his career to a close by the time he was 31 and, at that stage, Vitali would be nearing 40.

A British boxing fan would dream of such a path for Haye and, if it was to come true, then it would bring the curtain down spectacularly on a glittering career.

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If Haye's fans can't wait for his next fight, they can always keep their eye on fellow British hope Amir Khan, who will be overwhelming sportsbook favourite against Ukraine-born Dmitriy Salita early in December.

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