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Posted: Fri Jul 04, 2008 10:12 am Post subject: David Haye Eyes Switch To MMA
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DAVID HAYE will weigh up a switch to Mixed Martial Arts after he quits boxing.
The Hayemaker has already had MMA training and a full-time move could be on the cards when he hangs up his gloves.
Haye, 27, said: "Once my boxing career is over, in two or three years, MMA is definitely something I'll look to jump into with both hands and feet.
"I've already got a grounding in the sport and have been working on the foundations for around six years now.
"The kicking side of things comes fairly naturally to me as I did kickboxing before boxing."
Haye, who bowed out of the cruiserweight division as the undisputed champion, is well aware of the challenge he faces should he step into the explosive world of MMA.
Former WBO heavyweight champion Ray Mercer was widely criticised for his lacklustre MMA debut against Kimbo Slice in 2007 — and Haye is eager to avoid a similar fate.
Speaking to Fighters Only Magazine, the Londoner said: "You can't make the jump between the two sports half-heartedly. I wouldn't do a Ray Mercer and just turn up for a pay cheque.
"I would take the same attitude I have for boxing into the Octagon. If I were going to do it, I'd want to do it properly and win everything in sight.
"Money wouldn't even be an issue — that's the last thing I'd do it for. It would be all about the challenge.
"I wouldn't go in there blind and make a fool of myself like some other boxers do. I'd only do it if I was confident of becoming the best in the world."
Despite his plans to clean up boxing's heavyweight division, Haye reckons MMA is a serious threat to the future of the sweet science — a view which goes against those of top promoters Frank Warren and Don King.
Haye added: "Mixed martial arts promotes the thing that boxing, in general, doesn't want to do — and that's to put on exciting and competitive fights.
"I definitely feel the rise of MMA and especially the UFC, particularly with the pay-per-view market, has forced boxing to up its game.
"Oscar De La Hoya had to fight Floyd Mayweather, Mayweather had to fight Ricky Hatton.
"These guys had to get together or else boxing would play second fiddle to the UFC in terms of pay-per-view buys and interest from the general public."
Haye would love nothing better than to write his name into the history books by following Evander Holyfield's example of stepping up from cruiserweight to win the heavyweight championship.
But the Brit fears his boxing legacy will quickly be forgotten if the sport fails to move with the times.
He warned: "The nature of television allows sports fans to change the channel if they don't like something.
"If they don't like what boxing offers, they'll change the channel and order the UFC or some other MMA event."
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DAVID HAYE will weigh up a switch to Mixed Martial Arts after he quits boxing.
The Hayemaker has already had MMA training and a full-time move could be on the cards when he hangs up his gloves.
Haye, 27, said: "Once my boxing career is over, in two or three years, MMA is definitely something I'll look to jump into with both hands and feet.
"I've already got a grounding in the sport and have been working on the foundations for around six years now.
"The kicking side of things comes fairly naturally to me as I did kickboxing before boxing."
Haye, who bowed out of the cruiserweight division as the undisputed champion, is well aware of the challenge he faces should he step into the explosive world of MMA.
Former WBO heavyweight champion Ray Mercer was widely criticised for his lacklustre MMA debut against Kimbo Slice in 2007 — and Haye is eager to avoid a similar fate.
Speaking to Fighters Only Magazine, the Londoner said: "You can't make the jump between the two sports half-heartedly. I wouldn't do a Ray Mercer and just turn up for a pay cheque.
"I would take the same attitude I have for boxing into the Octagon. If I were going to do it, I'd want to do it properly and win everything in sight.
"Money wouldn't even be an issue — that's the last thing I'd do it for. It would be all about the challenge.
"I wouldn't go in there blind and make a fool of myself like some other boxers do. I'd only do it if I was confident of becoming the best in the world."
Despite his plans to clean up boxing's heavyweight division, Haye reckons MMA is a serious threat to the future of the sweet science — a view which goes against those of top promoters Frank Warren and Don King.
Haye added: "Mixed martial arts promotes the thing that boxing, in general, doesn't want to do — and that's to put on exciting and competitive fights.
"I definitely feel the rise of MMA and especially the UFC, particularly with the pay-per-view market, has forced boxing to up its game.
"Oscar De La Hoya had to fight Floyd Mayweather, Mayweather had to fight Ricky Hatton.
"These guys had to get together or else boxing would play second fiddle to the UFC in terms of pay-per-view buys and interest from the general public."
Haye would love nothing better than to write his name into the history books by following Evander Holyfield's example of stepping up from cruiserweight to win the heavyweight championship.
But the Brit fears his boxing legacy will quickly be forgotten if the sport fails to move with the times.
He warned: "The nature of television allows sports fans to change the channel if they don't like something.
"If they don't like what boxing offers, they'll change the channel and order the UFC or some other MMA event."
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