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But if Haye wins, they say he would face Vitali. So this means 2 instead of just 1 HW fight that's worth watching, if the fight lives up to the hype (hopefully).
I'm hoping for a good fight and let the best man win but that scenario that I brought up (above) would have me leaning towards wishing for a Haye win.Comment
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I'm not convinced he really would face Vitali in those circumstances, but even if he did, they would both retire immediately afterwards, leaving the division in a worse mess than ever. If Wlad wins, the division would at last have a champion, possibly for years, whom everyone would be forced to acknowledge was a great champion.
I agree that in the short term a win for Haye would possibly lead to two mega-fights; but in the longer term that scenario wouldn't be good for the division, given that Haye wants to retire this year.
But as I say, as long as it's a good fight, that's the main thing I care about, rather than who wins. But a decisive win for Wlad would be much the best outcome for the long term health of the division, especially if it's also an entertaining fight.Last edited by Dave Rado; 03-12-2011, 05:59 PM.Comment
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It's pretty difficult to make Haye's Heavyweight opponents seem worse than they were, given how god-awful they have actually been. And no one apart from extreme nuthuggers pretends that the division is currently bristling with talent, and therefore it's obviously impossible for Wlad's opposition to have been great; but the point is that Wlad has consistently faced the best available competition over a long period, whereas Haye has fought three bums and one mediocre top 10 fighter who was not in the top 5 and who had just lost to a 50-year old in most people's opinions. The majority of Wlad's last 12 opponents were better than the best Heavyweight Haye has faced so far, and all 12 of them were far better than the worst Heavyweight Haye has faced.
Furthermore, Wlad has hardly lost a round in the last 4 years, despite fighting a far higher calibre of opponent than Haye has fought; whereas Haye barely beat the only top 10 Heavyweight he has faced so far, escaping with the narrowest of narrow decisions.
It's Haye's Cruiserweight competition that is grossly over-hyped. He won the lineal title against a past prime fighter, but didn't defend against any of the top fighters in the division. Adamek and Cunningham were both better than that version of Mormeck and were both leagues better than Maccarinelli. And leading up to his title shot with Mormeck, Haye didn't fight any world class opposition - his best win during that period was against Fragomeni, who was never really world class, as Erdei proved beyond any doubt. Comparisons with Holyfield, who as a Cruiserweight cleaned out the division and had two epic battles with a true great like Qawi, are ridiculous - but are frequently made by his fans.Last edited by Dave Rado; 03-12-2011, 06:00 PM.Comment
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The thing is that that is the best scenario for the HW division. Haye fighting BOTH of the brothers.
If you take that scenario out then there is only 1 fight happening that people care for in the distant future. There are not too many other fights in the foreseeable future that would live up to these 2 fights .... of course, if it lives up to the hype.
Remember that we have been waiting for something like this for a long enough time in this division.
Plus, who knows, maybe Hayes doesn't retire and rematches Wladimir .... ... BUT if you are a Wladimir fan who just wants to see their man win, that is a totally different thing...Comment
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Only for this year. After that the division would be dead as a doornail with no credible champion for the foreseeable future.
People used to think Lewis was boring, and didn't rate him very highly (outside the UK), similar to the way they tend to think of Wlad now. But once he had beaten Holyfield, they regarded Lewis as a great and suddenly wanted to see his fights.
They thought Holmes was boring for a long time, and seriously underrated him for years. But through the sheer longevity of his reign and his very occasional exciting fights against the likes of Witherspoon and Cooney they eventually realised he was great, and then their interest in the division was reignited.
Wlad has recently started to be acknowledged as a borderline great (hence his entry into all the credible P4P lists); and a really decisive win against Haye would seal that judgement and reignite interest in the division, especially if it's an exciting fight. And that interest would then remain reignited until he retired, which could be five or more years away still.
Whereas if Haye beats Wlad, and then fights Vitali, and then both Haye and Vitali immediately retire, no one would have any further interest in the division because the best of the remaining un-retired fighters would have no possible credibility as a world champion.
I'm a boxing fan, not a fan of any particular fighter.
Before he started blatantly ducking, and in so doing made it clear that he doesn't really have much confidence that he can win, I used to be a sort of fan of Haye, who is my countryman, although I am much more a fan of boxing than of any individual fighter. I now dislike Haye as a person, but would still not mind at all if he won, provided it's a good fight. But objectively speaking, it seems obvious to me that a decisive win for Wlad would be much better for the long term health of the division, given Haye's determination to retire this year.Last edited by Dave Rado; 03-12-2011, 08:15 PM.Comment
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Gentlemen….take a breath.
I’m a fan of Haye’s (boxing) for the record however, let’s get some perspective here.
In regard to Wlad not having knockout power, watch the Chambers Ko.
I was watching the fight and remember being highly amused with Manny Steward getting more and more angry @ Wlad in between rounds for not going in for the Kill. Wlad even told him to relax at one point but comedy value aside, he does have significant power it’s just how he chooses to apply himself.
They’re both vulnerable to heavy shots and if Haye lands anything like what he did on Valuev during the 12th http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhKcVDfp9F8 (watch from 2:40 onwards) then Wlad can kiss goodbye to those belts but the notion that he’s unable to knock Haye out is at best, naïve.
Personally, I can’t wait. May the best man win.
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David Haye will get destroyed. This man has built himself up to something he isn't, the brits have bought into the hype. Haye has done nothing impressive at heavyweight, apart from beating a shot to **** Ruiz.
I just can't go round saying Haye is going to knock Klitschko out. I think he is just selling the fight, but knows deep down he's in a hall of trouble.Comment
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You gonna put money on that? Wlad will dominate this cruiser bum from first bell, jab jab straight right, you know the story just deny fact. Haye is the one looking for a lucky punch, not Wlad, who is King of heavyweight, acknowledge it. Speed difference, piss off, Wlad has fast hands considering his size. Wlad is a glorious boxer, has reached perfection under Manny Steward. He would beat any boxer in history today. Haye will get knocked the foook out, wait and see.Comment
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