Seth Mitchell's Review: Haye on Points, Klitschko By KO

By Lem Satterfield

BoxingScene.com caught up to unbeaten American heavyweight prospect Seth Mitchell of Brandywine, MD., to get his take on Saturday's unification clash between WBO, IBF and IBO king Wladimir Klitschko and WBA titlist David Haye.

The 28-year-old Mitchell (22-0-1, 16 knockouts), whom many believe can become the next heavyweight champion from the United States, is coming off of his seventh straight stoppage, his ninth knockout in his past 10 fights, and his 20th consecutive win with May's first-round knockout Nicaraguan Evans "The Sandman" Quinn of Miami at the
6,500-seat venue.

The 30-year-old Haye (25-1, 23 KOs) of England is pursuing his 16th straight victory and his 14th knockout during that run on against the 34-year-old Ukrainian Klitschko (55-3, 49 KOs), who is after his 14th straight win, his 11th knockout during that run.

"I have it being a very intriguing fight. As I've said before, I think that David Haye can win the fight by decision," said Mitchell. "I don't think that he will stop Wladimir Klitschko," said Mitchell. "If there is a knockout, I think that I can see Wladimir Klitschko stopping David Haye."

The nearly 6-7 Wladimir Klitschko weighed a career-high 247 pounds for September's 10th-round stoppage of Samuel Peter (34-4, 27 KOs).

Haye earned the WBO and WBC cruiserweight belts with a November, 2007 seventh-round stoppage of Jean Marc Mormeck (36-4, 22 KOs), and added the WBO crown with a March, 2008, second-round knockout of Enzo Maccarinelli, who entered their clash with a record of 28-1, with 21 knockouts.

Haye debuted as a heavyweight with a November, 2008, fifth round knockout of former contender Monte Barrett, who out-weighed him, 215-to-226.

A year later in November of 2009, a 218-pound Haye scored a 12-round, majority decision that dethroned, Russia's 7-foot, 316-pound Nikolay Valuev as WBA king.

Haye is coming off of November's third-round stoppage of then-38-year-old southpaw fellow Englishman, Audley Harrison (27-5, 20 KOs) in Manchester, England, who stood nearly three inches taller at 6-foot-5 and a half, and who out-weighed Haye, 210-to-253.

"I do believe that David Haye has the necessary tools to give Wladimir Klitschko a lot of problems, considering his potential for head movement and his athletic ability. With David Haye's being able to jump in and jump out and being able to counter Wladimir Klitschko," said Mitchell.

"I think that David Haye's mobility could be a key. I also realize that David Haye has power, so he can potentially cause problems for Klitschko that way," said Mitchell. "But in the end, I can see David Haye winning a decision, but if there is a knockout, I see Wladimir Klitschko knocking out David Haye."