Who had the easier route to a HW world title: Deontay Wilder or David Haye?

[yoz]

Deontay 'The Bronze Bomber' Wilder (33-0, 32KOs)

His path to the WBC world title:

Siarhei Liakhovich (25-5-0)
Nicolai Firtha (21-10-1)
Malik Scott (36-1-1)
Jason Gavern (25-16-4)
Bermane Stiverne (24-1-1)*


David 'The Hayemaker' Haye (23-1, 20KOs upon beating Valuev)

His path to the WBA world title:

Tomasz Bonin (37-1-0)
Jean Marc Mormeck (33-3-0)**
Enzo Maccarinelli (28-1-0)**
Monte Barrett (34-6-0)
Nikolay Valuev (50-1-0)*


*denotes holder of world title
** cruiserweight world title fight

[Dirk Diggler UK]

Gaye was already undisputed champion at Cruiserweight and had proven to be a top fighter.

Wilder fought 32 bums and then beat one decent fighter to win the title.

[Black Barty]

If you include Haye's cruiserweight wins (and you apparently do, idk why to be honest), then Wilder and not by a little.

Maccarinelli (fresh off the Brathwaite win), Mormeck (off the Bell win) and even Fragomeni (later drew with Wlodarczyk) were all better wins than Stiverne.

If only HW wins count then Haye. Stiverne is better than Valuev.

[boliodogs]

I voted Wilder. He never beat any fighter ranked in the top 20 before his title fight while Haye fought top rated 200 pounders and was the cruiserweight world champ. I can remember any fighter who had an easier route to a title shot.

[Derranged]

at counting crusiserweight fights as an accomplishment in the heavyweight divison. What a joke. I remember people claimed Wladimir was ducking Haye before he had a single fight at hw. Then those same people wrote off the Klit win because Haye was "inexperienced" at that weight. My goodness that's laughable.

Anyway, I pick Haye because while Stiverne had a title and Wilder fought bum, Wladimir was still recognized as the top fighter in the division. Haye has less fights at that weight and got a shot at the better opponent.

[NEETzsche]

stiverne was probably more dangerous than valuev

[yoz]

If you include Haye's cruiserweight wins (and you apparently do, idk why to be honest), then Wilder and not by a little.

Maccarinelli (fresh off the Brathwaite win), Mormeck (off the Bell win) and even Fragomeni (later drew with Wlodarczyk) were all better wins than Stiverne.

If only HW wins count then Haye. Stiverne is better than Valuev.

Well those wins, albeit at cruiserweight, secured Haye a favourable ranking with the WBA. Given that he was promoting himself, I doubt the Barrett win, alone, would have been enough.

[PainfromUkraine]

Should be a poll option of 'equal ease'.

Hard to separate them as you take into different factors...

- Haye beat cruiserweights as part of his run...better quality but not hw

- Haye is a small hw so naturally that made it more difficult

- In terms of exclusively at hw, perhaps Wilder shades it slightly as having a tougher fight with Stiverne than Haye had with Valuev but it's very close.

P.S
Haye should fight Stiverne

[Weltschmerz]

Haye avoided Vitali and fought Valuev, so gotta go with Davey. Wilder is just an all round more legit champion, and won the more prestigious title too.

Where is Davey btw, I thought he was to make a big comeback announcement this year.

I guess he is busy spending time with his boyfriend LacedUp instead

[BattlingNelson]

Wilder.

At least Haye was the best of the cruisers and held 3 of the 4 belts. Wilder has fought janitors, taxidrivers and Charlie Z.