Klitschko-Haye Finally Official
by Brickhaus on Apr 1, 2009 8:53 PM EDT
in Boxing News Analysis
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According to Dan Rafael at ESPN, after months of on-again, off-again drama, David Haye and Wladimir Klitschko have finally agreed to terms to fight each other on June 20. This has been brewing for a long time now, and if the fight has half as much drama as the negotiations, then this should be a fight to remember. While the location of the fight isn't official, it most likely will be in Germany, after rumors of the fight being anywhere from Kiev to an outdoor soccer stadium in the UK. HBO will carry the fight, though there's no word whether it will be on regular HBO or Pay Per View.
Klitschko currently holds two of the four heavyweight trinkets, and is the consensus #1 heavyweight in the world. Haye is a former unified and lineal cruiserweight champion who is moving up for a shot at greater glory.
One other interesting wrinkle is that K2 promotions, promoter for Klitschko, will have two options on Haye should Haye win the fight. This pretty much guarantees that his next fight would be against big brother Vitali, which would lead to some much-needed unification in the heavyweight division.
Personally, I'm thrilled that this fight has finally come off. Not only do we get to see a guaranteed knockout, but this was one of the few meaningful and potentially interesting matchups left in the heavyweight division. Yes, Haye is untested in the heavyweight ranks, but it's been a long time since Klitschko has been tested against someone who is both quick and can punch. Klitschko has been down many times in his career, including a knockout loss to a journeyman and two other knockout losses to then fringe contenders. Haye has been down by the hands of a former super middleweight and has been knocked down in two of his last three fights. Both have huge power, and I can't see this fight ending any way other than a brutal kayo.
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about f'n time
whoever lands first is going to win. smart money is probably on klits.
i’ll be rooting for haye. klits just bores the holy snot out of me. hes due to get knocked the hell out too.
gotta be regular HBO
If they try to sell this one on PPV I’ll rail on that decision something awful. I’ve sat through enough of their shitty Wladimir Klitschko fights, I deserve a good one that I don’t pay extra for. So does every boxing fan.
"If they cut my bald head open, they will find one big boxing glove. That's all I am. I live it." -- Marvin Hagler
by Scott Christ on Apr 1, 2009 9:54 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
I agree
I just don’t think it will be good. Well, I mean it will be exciting while it lasts, but I don’t think it will last long at all. It’s not going to be Tyson-Spinks, but I have a feeling its going to be in the same ballpark.
"I want to see ocean. I want to see black people. I want to see palms." - Wladimir Klitschko
it may not be
But at least it has some genuine intrigue. That’s more than I can say for any recent Wlad fight besides Brock (which wound up better than I expected) and Sultan (which had intrigue going in and turned into a shitburger with shit cheese by round four).
"If they cut my bald head open, they will find one big boxing glove. That's all I am. I live it." -- Marvin Hagler
by Scott Christ on Apr 1, 2009 11:50 PM EDT up reply actions
Haye can punch...
And Wlad’s been down alot.
But Wlad went down to Corrie Sanders who could seriously bang and had so much potential if he ever was truly dedicated to boxing and to Sam Peter. I don’t think Haye can punch to hang with them. Jabfest for the first 5 or 6 rounds then KO Wlad.
Gimme 1 round!
There's "Old Wlad" and there's "New Wlad"
“Old Wlad” was a big, glorified amateur, with awkward fts of aggression and abysmal footwork. I don’t think “New Wlad” is all that great, but he’s worlds away from the guy that got dropped by the inferior (albeit, monster-punching, left-handed) Sanders. New Wlad usues his size pretty effectively, and despite the occasionally Mr. Roboto ring demeanor, he has a superb jab and is almost unapproachable in small rings, where he wraps up, sets and punishes. I’ve been pretty hard on Wlad Klitshcko, made fun of him, etc. But in the last couple of years — and as abysmal as the division is — its become pretty clear to me that he is “the truth” at Heavyweight these days. All kidding aside, I would pick Wladimir Smith to beat Vitali Jones by late round TKO or corner retirement. I don’t think Haye can beat New Wlad (at least right now).
"I want to see ocean. I want to see black people. I want to see palms." - Wladimir Klitschko
Can someone explain options to me, please.
Does it mean that Hayes has to fight who ever K2 says or does it mean that if he wins he has to pay them to promote them. I don’t really understand options and I don’t like them. Seems a little stupid that you are obligated to do something for the loser. But at least the fight is official. Looks like if Hayes wins this one he will have a three fight streak against the Klits.
Think you lot may be
Under estimating Haye.
I’d agree he’s an underdog, but my God is he a live underdog – the power is what people are focusing on, and it’s good, but it’s the speed of hand, the punches in bunches, and the awkwardness of Haye which will cause Wlad problems.
Haye seriously believes he’ll win, and seriously believes he’ll knock Wlad out – who out of Wlads last 5 or more opponents actually came to win in anyway but sneak a points decision.
I’ll place some money in some American bookies hands on Haye for this one – and would love to see Haye Vs Vitali (a step too far!)
I’ve said before Haye presents a potential serious danger to Wlad simply because Haye can actually move his ass around the ring, unlike the big stiffs Klitschko’s been fighting in recent years.
"If they cut my bald head open, they will find one big boxing glove. That's all I am. I live it." -- Marvin Hagler
agree with bazzlad
Haye has a real chance, and i can also tell you it won’t be boring, 2 questionable chins and two fighters that can punch,
just have to say scott, that on the article you said Haye has been down twice in three fights, howver the last time he went down was to mormeck,
against Barrett he went down because of a slip and Monte hit him on the ground,
jus wna say i’v been reading this sight for ages, but have only just joined up 2day : )
Duly noted
My memory must be slipping. For some reason, I thought he was knocked down by Barrett. Still, he has been knocked down by Mormeck (decent puncher, but not a monster puncher at cruiser) and Mock, and was out on his feet against Thompson, and has been wobbled a bit a few other times against guys who aren’t necessarily big punchers.
Wladimir will be the biggest puncher Haye has faced in his career, as well as the biggest and most technically sound.
On the other hand, Wlad hasn’t faced anyone as quick as Haye since he faced Sanders (and Haye’s probably quicker than Sanders as well), and I don’t think he’s ever faced someone with Haye’s lateral movement (maybe Byrd, but again Haye’s probably better here) or slickness. Haye has to try to get inside the jab and nail Wlad square on the chin as quickly as possible though. Haye gets lazy with his lead hand defense, and that will absolutely kill him in the later rounds against someone with a jab like Wlad’s.
Vogt early, Vogt often.
Monte didn't knock him down
But did have him wobbled a couple times. That was one of the most exciting one-sided fights of recent times. It felt like anyone could go down at any moment.
"If they cut my bald head open, they will find one big boxing glove. That's all I am. I live it." -- Marvin Hagler
by Scott Christ on Apr 2, 2009 11:56 PM EDT up reply actions
Just for the record (again)
With Mormeck, I wouldn’t have said he was knocked down, and more that he took a professionals knee – he got tangled up in the corner and choose to take a count (iirc) something that Khan should have done against Limmond, and Enzo should have done against Haye!!
I thought Thompson started as a LHW, plus it was only Haye’s 11th fight, never seen the fight, but I’ll give Haye a pass. My opinion is so biased because I desperately want to see an end to the Klits, but I really do feel that this will be the first opponent Wlad has had in a while who could actually beat him, and Haye is probably the first guy in a while who actually believes he can beat Wlad. I pray he is right.
It was similar to Klitschko-Brewster I
Haye was winning for the first few rounds, then he completely gassed out and Thompson beat him around the ring like a rag doll until the fight was stopped. It was early in his career, so I don’t give too much credence to it, but a chin is a chin; it almost never gets better as someone’s career progresses, and it almost always gets worse.
Sometimes a chin can improve a bit when a guy was draining to make a certain weight (because the rehydration process affects the inner ear and thus screws up balance), so there’s still hope that his chin is a bit better at heavyweight. A good example of this was Miguel Cotto, whose chin was chaky at 140 but is pretty decent at 147. Same for Pacquiao when he moved from 112, his ability to not get hurt improved dramatically.
Still, the chin questions are there for Haye, and his defense is still very leaky, and he’s still facing a huge puncher with the best jab in the business.
Vogt early, Vogt often.
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