Comments Thread For: Steward: David Haye Will Be Wladimir's Signature Fight

[Jedi Vader]

Both are right. Haye has done nothing at Heavyweight to justify the hype, but he's a genius at self-promotion, and has managed to convince a lot of people that he has a serious chance of winning. It's the first time for years that a lot of people think Wlad has a genuine chance of losing. Also, even though Haye is over-rated by many, he still has a combination of power, speed and explosiveness that Wlad hasn't had to face since the Sanders fight. Thus he does have a puncher's chance, despite his lack of skills and defence. So even though Haye is seriously over-rated, as Wlad's fans say he is (although not as over-rated as some of them claim - he is explosive and very fast), he will still be Wlad's signature fight in a way, because so many people have bought into his hype, and because he does have a puncher's chance of winning.

Excellent post Dave.

[dvb]

haye has done enough before tbh,he was unified no 1 cruiserweight,and had 1 fight at heavy proving he can fight the same at heavyweight,and now hes beat 4 experienced heavyweights through smart tactical boxing and heavy aggression,say what you want about the opponents wear tear and level of ability,but haye's provend his speed and power at heavy,he went 12 rounds fine aswell.

Hell,even him coming into fights like a proper athlete half legitamises him as a more worthy opponent than everyone else.

[The Hammer]

Both are right. Haye has done nothing at Heavyweight to justify the hype, but he's a genius at self-promotion, and has managed to convince a lot of people that he has a serious chance of winning. It's the first time for years that a lot of people think Wlad has a genuine chance of losing. Also, even though Haye is over-rated by many, he still has a combination of power, speed and explosiveness that Wlad hasn't had to face since the Sanders fight. Thus he does have a puncher's chance, despite his lack of skills and defence. So even though Haye is seriously over-rated, as Wlad's fans say he is (although not as over-rated as some of them claim - he is explosive and very fast), he will still be Wlad's signature fight in a way, because so many people have bought into his hype, and because he does have a puncher's chance of winning.

I agree.

Haye is dangerous puncher, especially in the early rounds. Like Marco Huck, Haye knows how to put his full weight into his punches.

But Haye is overrated by his fans - he really doesn't have elite boxing skills.

Steward is mistaken in his strategy for this fight.

Wlad SHOULD make it into a chess match as much as possible, because that the kind of fight Haye cannot win. Wlad is a smarter, more skillful boxer than Haye.

However, if Wlad is too aggressive early as he was with Sanders and makes it into a war, Haye will have a real chance of catching him with a combination of hard shots and putting him on the canvas.

I feel a bit uneasy about Steward being in Wlad's corner for this one. Steward seems to want Wlad to become popular with the American media, but that honestly can never happen no matter what Wlad does in the ring because of where he's was born.

I remember how Wlad gassed in the 5th round against Brewster after going all-out to KO him for 4 2/3 rounds. Manny should be telling Wlad to pace himself and do what he's normally been doing since 2005, and Haye will eventually make mistakes and leave himself open for left hooks and straight rights.

[Gumby McPokey]

The problem for Wladimir is that this is the first HBO fight in a long time for him, and many fans in the US remember him only from the snoozer Ibragimov fight.

Haye has no incentive to make the fight interesting. He has to know this is probably his last fight, because he will lose either by easy knockout or absurdly lopsided decision after having been unable to do anything to worry Wladimir. He'll run and hide all fight -- if he gets a chance to surprise Wladimir with a clean shot, he'll take it, but otherwise he'll just try to stay out of trouble until the final bell, and take his money.

For Wladimir, an excruciatingly boring fight would pretty much end any chance he'll be on television in the USA for the rest of his career. Most fans won't care if the fight is boring because Haye ran away. Wladimir has to be looking to make the fight as exciting as possible, without leaving himself open to big counter-punches.

[Money Shot]

This Wlad bears little relation to the fighter that Sanders beat. Apart from his jab being several times more effective, his defence is much much tighter. He hardly shows his opponent any target and moves quickly when he's rushed, and just as quickly goes back on the offensive. If he gets an opening he will throw the right hand, and it's a KTFO weapon, as is the left hook that crumpled Chambers and Austin.

[Machingo69]

Common sense tells me that Klitchko wins but after watching Kellerman face off, I have to say that Haye has definitely gotten to vladimir's head. Haye's a pretty smart dude. I would not be surprised if Haye upsets on July 2nd.

[Wazaa..]

Its a pretty pathetic admission that Wlad has fought nothing but bums.

Haye is a mediocre hw if you wanna be generous so for Steward to outright admit that this is his "signature" fight tells you everything you need to know about how good Wlad really isn't.

The sad part of it all is that Haye is at least even money to win.



Here's to the pathetic hw division.

[hweightblogger]

Interesting how the Klitschko fans devalue Haye yet his own trainer says he will be the fighter that Wlad will be remembered for.

What is it to be Klit fans???

The same case as with Frazier, who would be unknown had it not been for the Ali fight.

Frazier-Ali is one of the dearest fights to AliFants although objectively it was a clinchfest of 2 featherfists.

[ADP02]

I agree.

Haye is dangerous puncher, especially in the early rounds. Like Marco Huck, Haye knows how to put his full weight into his punches.

But Haye is overrated by his fans - he really doesn't have elite boxing skills.

Steward is mistaken in his strategy for this fight.

Wlad SHOULD make it into a chess match as much as possible, because that the kind of fight Haye cannot win. Wlad is a smarter, more skillful boxer than Haye.

However, if Wlad is too aggressive early as he was with Sanders and makes it into a war, Haye will have a real chance of catching him with a combination of hard shots and putting him on the canvas.

I feel a bit uneasy about Steward being in Wlad's corner for this one. Steward seems to want Wlad to become popular with the American media, but that honestly can never happen no matter what Wlad does in the ring because of where he's was born.

I remember how Wlad gassed in the 5th round against Brewster after going all-out to KO him for 4 2/3 rounds. Manny should be telling Wlad to pace himself and do what he's normally been doing since 2005, and Haye will eventually make mistakes and leave himself open for left hooks and straight rights.

Because, as Steward stated, his boxer likes to make it a chess match, and it takes a lot of effort to change his style.

So Steward is hoping that Wladimir will be able to switch it up and not wait until the 12th round to go for the KO. Steward knows that they shouldn't give Hayes 12 rounds because that is like giving Hayes 12 (opportunities) rounds to KO Wlad.

[BrooklynBomber]

It is a signature win for Wlad based on hype, you can compare it to Mayweather/DLH, in a sense that DLH brought all sorts of tools to beat Mayweather, but anyone with half the insight knew Mayweather was going to prevail. Plus DLH was bringing hella hype into it.
Now, it is obvious that Wlad/Haye wont go the same way as DLH/Mayweather, but the comparison is for different variables.

Wlad realizes that any great fighter must have a valid rivalry, Leonard had it, Lewis had it, even Floyd and Pacman have each other for the greatest rivalry in sport. David Haye is not the best choice for rivalry based on skill and ability, but it is best based on David Haye's general charisma of a heel.
Make no mistake, neither fighter is somehow emotionally fazed by the other, they just know the importance of operatic performances.
And in Opera every face or a heel has a twenty minute aria before the action persues. The past three years were exactly that -- the long aria before the culmination.