By Rick Reeno
The David Haye "heavyweight re-debut saga" continues. Last night we reported that after a breakdown in negotiations with Kevin "Kingpin" Johnson (27-0-1, 7KOs), Haye's team began to focus on untested prospect JD Chapman (29-0, 26KOs). Not long after our first report, we posted a second report that Chapman had turned down the fight and the new frontrunner was Eddie Chambers (31-1, 17KOs).
Haye, along with Richard Schaefer [CEO for Golden Boy Promotions], went forward with his Tuesday press conference in the UK, and claimed that Chapman did not board a plane and no-showed the press conference, which is not entirely true because Haye knew on Monday that Chapman did agree to take the fight. At the present, Haye is without a set opponent for November 15 at the O2 Arena in London.
BoxingScene.com spoke with Mike Borao, who along with his partner Scott Hirsch, promote Chapman under their company Hirsch Borao Promotions. According to Borao, a third-party may have interfered in the negotiations, resulting in Chapman turning down the fight.
"I don't exactly know why JD decided to end negotiations, but I have reason to believe that an uninformed third-party interfered and may have clouded his judgment during negotiations, and we are looking into that," Borao said.
"It’s unfortunate because it was a terrific opportunity for JD. He’s a big heavyweight who can punch and everyone knows David Haye has a suspect chin. It’s just unfortunate. Having said all that, I still believe JD is the best young prospect in the world and still has a great opportunity to become heavyweight champion.”
Adam Booth, Haye’s manager and trainer, told the media that Chapman was scared of being knocked out, and claims the Arkansas fighter personally said it.
“’He said: 'I'm not coming to England to get knocked out,” Booth said. “This after agreeing a substantial amount of money.”
Borao has no idea where Booth got that quote, but it did not come from Chapman.
"That's ridiculous. The kid would never say that. Like I said, it's just novice people talking in his ear which is very common in boxing,” Borao said. “I don’t put the blame on JD. He's a young guy so he's going to make mistakes. It's a shame because JD's size and power would have given Haye a lot of problems.”
Speaking with another source, BoxingScene was told that Chapman was perhaps advised by a third party that he could obtain more money with other opponents and other possible fights. A source close to the negotiations on the Haye end would tell me that a mid six-figure offer was presented to Chapman. If this is the case, a guy with a big punch being offered that kind of money, for a fight with a smaller guy with a perceived weak chin, it might be a risk worth taking. It would certainly be more money than some of Haye’s previous offers that were made to more established heavyweights.
