David Haye Tells Joshua Not To Risk His '0' Before They Fight

By Terence Dooley

Former cruiserweight world Champion and WBA heavyweight titlist David Haye (27-2, 25 KOs) has told London rival Anthony Joshua (15-0, 15 early) not to lose his ‘0’ by taking unnecessary risks.

Joshua is in talks with IBF holder Charles Martin or could face Carlos Takem in an eliminator for the same title if Martin does not take the fight.  However, Haye believes both options are risky and one false move could knock the glitter off a potential Haye-Joshua money-spinner.

Haye made a successful comeback in January and will headline at London’s O2 for the second time this year when he meets TBA on May 21.  Haye, though, also has one eye on Joshua, telling David Anderson of the Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland edition) that promoter Eddie Hearn could jeopardise a huge all-British heavyweight affair if the AJ train gets derailed.

“It would hurt his plans, it would be a setback,” stated Haye.  “It would make a fight with him not as interesting and not worth as much money.  At the minute, people are giving him a shot against me.  That's what makes it interesting.  But if he loses to someone, how interesting would it be then?  People would see his flaws and maybe not want to see him fight me.  If he gets the opportunity to fight in an eliminator for the world title, I'll be there supporting him as much as anyone.  Anything that makes our fight bigger, I'm all for.”

When asked to name the winner of an Haye-Joshua meeting, “Hayemaker” pointed to his greater ring experience and professional nous.  “You've got remember what stage of our careers we're at,” he added.  “I'm 35, (look at) the world heavyweight title fights I've had, European title fights and so on.

“I've been out injured longer than he's had his professional career.  I was world heavyweight champion before he had even started boxing.  I'm way further in front of him in terms of development and experience.  He can't catch up on that in one year.  I've been a pro 12 years.  I'm not sure what he's going to learn in the next year-and-a-half which will catch up on that.”

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