Comments Thread For: Search Continues For The Heavyweight Throne Contender

[BoxingTech718]

I can't blame the Klits for not fighting each other. Any decent human being would decline to fight their own flesh and blood. Haye needs to man up.

[The Hammer]

About time a boxing journalist not named Rafael told it like it is regarding Haye's pathetic behaviour and the impossible position the Klitschkos are in. Good article, Jake. It's getting extremely boring how many idiots are blaming the Klitschkos for the fact that none of the top contenders have any desire to fight them; and Haye's pretence that he does want to fight them, when he clearly doesn't, and the fact that so few journalists are willing to clearly call him on it, is simply appalling.

I think Haye's strategy is obvious. Vitali has noticeably slowed down in the past year and is starting to show serious signs of ageing. Haye is planning to finally fight Vitali late next year, by which time he thinks Vitali may have slowed enough for Haye's speed to be decisive. He knows he has no chance against Wlad, and if he fights Wlad at all it won't be until he has (a) fought Vitali and he hopes, beaten him; and (b) cashed out some more with a few defences of a by then unified title, against lesser fighters, which will make him a lot of money in the UK if he has beaten Vitali by then.

And he'll pretend that, in fighting Vitali first, he's taking on the tougher brother, whereas in reality he'll have cherry-picked Vitali because he thinks that's the only fight he has a hope of winning, and even then, only because he had managed to spin it out until Vitali had slowed down. And the British boxing press will go along with his pretence that he's taken the tougher fight.

It's a deeply cynical game he's playing (because it's good for his bank balance but very bad for the sport, and because it relies on the gullibility of boxing fans and the connivance of boxing journalists in order for it to work); but I wouldn't mind so much if it weren't that hardly anyone is calling him on it.

Excellent post, Dave Rado.

[joe strong]

There is mo doubt wlad is the most ducked heavyweight that I can recall.now & even when he lost to sanders,10 guys turned down the biggest career payday to avoid wlad.sanders was the 11th choice.mccline was even scared when they fought.the crazy thing is other then brewster & sanders who has been aggressive vs wlad? Brewster just waited until he was tired so really sanders is the only one who ever took the fight too wlad.boytsov is now avoiding the possible shot too now....

[Carlisle]

5 losses ALL 5 by KO or TKO.. highest KO loss percentage for heavyweight title holder in boxing history. Doubt any heavyweight is scared.
More than likely they don't want to sign "If you beat me you have to fight my brother clause".

Excellent post, Dave Rado.

[WladIsTheChamp]

I completely agree with this post and do think that Haye's being as tactical as possible to ensure he's got a nice retirement fund. He wants to retire by the age of 30/31 (whatever it was, next year anyways) and seems to be in it for the money more than anything else.

The fight with Audley is a bigger split in his favor no doubt and should draw a fair audience (within the UK at least, not America). Then if Vitali (as you said above) is slow enough for Haye to be confident in winning, then he'll take that fight - in hope of being entitled to a draw of 40/45% at least against Wlad (should he get passed Vitali) so he can happily leave boxing with a lot of money regardless of the outcome.

If he beats Wlad/Vitali within 2011, he'll leave saying he cleaned up the division (?) and unified it which is all he set out to do. If he loses then the better man won and he'll retire with a decent bit of money from the fight. I can't see him taking a rematch if he loses the first fight IMO.

However, with a bit of luck, Chisora takes the titles from Wlad!! Got a lot more respect for Chisora than Haye considering how inexperienced he is and that he was willing to take so little money with rematch clauses in the contract. Good on you Del Boy!!

He was already offered 50/50 and he declined, he doesn't want to fight them, he is scared...

[WladIsTheChamp]

About time a boxing journalist not named Rafael told it like it is regarding Haye's pathetic behaviour and the impossible position the Klitschkos are in. Good article, Jake. It's getting extremely boring how many idiots are blaming the Klitschkos for the fact that none of the top contenders have any desire to fight them; and Haye's pretence that he does want to fight them, when he clearly doesn't, and the fact that so few journalists are willing to clearly call him on it, is simply appalling.

I think Haye's strategy is obvious. Vitali has noticeably slowed down in the past year and is starting to show serious signs of ageing. Haye is planning to finally fight Vitali late next year, by which time he thinks Vitali may have slowed enough for Haye's speed to be decisive. He knows he has no chance against Wlad, and if he fights Wlad at all it won't be until he has (a) fought Vitali and he hopes, beaten him; and (b) cashed out some more with a few defences of a by then unified title, against lesser fighters, which will make him a lot of money in the UK if he has beaten Vitali by then.

And he'll pretend that, in fighting Vitali first, he's taking on the tougher brother, whereas in reality he'll have cherry-picked Vitali because he thinks that's the only fight he has a hope of winning, and even then, only because he had managed to spin it out until Vitali had slowed down. And the British boxing press will go along with his pretence that he's taken the tougher fight.

It's a deeply cynical game he's playing (because it's good for his bank balance but very bad for the sport, and because it relies on the gullibility of boxing fans and the connivance of boxing journalists in order for it to work); but I wouldn't mind so much if it weren't that hardly anyone is calling him on it.

Yes, excellent post and excellent article. Diva Gaye is a big mouthed coward.

[FloydTBE]

I said it yesterday and Ill say it again, I hope Viatli KOs shannon briggs this coming saturday.
I think that briggs will try to land bombs from the start, he may aswell go n buy himself a lottery ticket hes more chance of winning that than this fight.

[WladIsTheChamp]

5 losses ALL 5 by KO or TKO.. highest KO loss percentage for heavyweight title holder in boxing history. Doubt any heavyweight is scared.
More than likely they don't want to sign "If you beat me you have to fight my brother clause".

So now you are combining one fighter into one? Wlad has 3 losses and Vitaly has 2 you idiot...

Oh and the man in your avatar has 5 losses by the way, including one to a guy with 7 fights... not to mention the fact that he was a full blown HW fighting 180, 177lbs guys and only managing a 60% KO ratio against them.

How does it feel to be witnessing two brothers who happen to be two of the greatest HW boxers in history? It must eat you up inside that they from Ukraine, be honest, it does.

[edgarg]

I too think the press is rather unfair to the Klitschko's and all to fair and easy on David Haye. Haye talks and makes excuses more than he fights yet no one but Dan over at ESPN is tough on the guy. I'd like to see everyone be much harder on Haye, he's certainly earned it!

If anyone or anything is to blame its the sheer and shameful lack of talent, skill, dedication, experience, and fortitude in the heavyweight division that's responsible for piss poor matches as far as the Klitschko's are concerned anyway. In Haye's case he deliberately chooses the softest and safest route for reasons we're all to familiar with.

I think it will be many years before there is a wealth of talent and a willingness to take risks in that division.

Did any of you guys ever stop to think, that it may easily be .,,,not the lack of contender talent everyone is dribbling on about, but the very HIGH level of the Klitschko performances. NOBODY can even stand up to them, never mind contend eith them.......

[Dave Rado]

5 losses ALL 5 by KO or TKO.. highest KO loss percentage for heavyweight title holder in boxing history. Doubt any heavyweight is scared.
More than likely they don't want to sign "If you beat me you have to fight my brother clause".

Haye was offered 50% of the purse and no rematch clauses to fight Wlad this year, and turned it down, as has been pointed out to you at least ten times in ten different threads. Are you totally illiterate? And Atlas, Povetkin's trainer, pulled him out of the fight with Wlad after contracts had already been agreed, claiming that Povetkin isn't ready, despite the fact that Povetkin was Wlad's mandatory and had been for over a year, and despite the fact that pulling him out meant that the IBF removed Povetkin from their rankings. That has also been pointed out to you at least ten times, but it appears you can't read. And Adamek was offered a fight with either brother this year but also said he is not ready and that he would like to fight one of them next year. Which has also been pointed out to you many times. But you can't read. And Valuev turned down a fight with Vitali over money, despite being offered by far the biggest payday of his career and no rematch clauses. And finally, the main article for this thread pointed out that Boystov refused to participate in a 4-man tournament that would have made the winner Wlad's IBF mandatory, because he too "isn't ready", despite the fact that, as with Povetkin, this resulted in the IBF removing him from their rankings.

But I forgot. You're just trolling, aren't you.