Haye-Vitali Klitschko in June in London

[Flump]

How many knockdowns did Dr Iron Fist need over the 7 rounds it took him to get rid of Barrett? Average power?

[Poncey]

Max, the Lewis uppercut will be 5 years ago when the fight happens. I could run the 100m in 12 seconds 5 years ago. Now I can't run for sex and an arse tickle.

When Vitali steps in the ring he will have boxed 8 rounds in 4.5 years (I've been told that the Gomez defence could be delayed to allow this fight). That kind of inactivity would make Tony Ayala Jr proud! He will also be approaching his 38th birthday.

For me this is not a foregone conclusion for either fighter. A very interesting matchup.

And, frankly, we should all be on our knees praying to Bermondsley in gratitude. Because it's refreshing to find a British fighter that has a mouth and balls to match. Because in Newbridge one of the two appear to have disappeared.

[Chambers2]

And, frankly, we should all be on our knees praying to Bermondsley in gratitude. Because it's refreshing to find a British fighter that has a mouth and balls to match. Because in Newbridge one of the two appear to have disappeared.

Spot on

Haye

[EddieShredder]

Awesome news....

I'll be there, shouting "Tiiiiiimbbbeeeeer" as the big russian falls D

[Autobarn]

Max, the Lewis uppercut will be 5 years ago when the fight happens. I could run the 100m in 12 seconds 5 years ago. Now I can't run for sex and an arse tickle.

When Vitali steps in the ring he will have boxed 8 rounds in 4.5 years (I've been told that the Gomez defence could be delayed to allow this fight). That kind of inactivity would make Tony Ayala Jr proud! He will also be approaching his 38th birthday.

For me this is not a foregone conclusion for either fighter. A very interesting matchup.

And, frankly, we should all be on our knees praying to Bermondsley in gratitude. Because it's refreshing to find a British fighter that has a mouth and balls to match. Because in Newbridge one of the two appear to have disappeared.

I hope the Gomez fight can get delayed. Not normally a fan of Vitali delaying his mandatories but in this case I'll give him a pass.

It ciould be a disaster for Haye, but if he somehow pulls it off the gain is massive. Whatever happens, he dares to be great. At very least we have a major name in world boxing coming over here, so it seems.

Good point on the inactivity of Vitali. The last part time fighter to outsize his opponent got spanked. I just hope Haye knows how to get past that long reach, and can cope when things get up close.

If it goes wrong, it will be seen as a foolhardy, shortsighted move. Because it's possible that Wlad will get dethroned by Povetkin, a small-is heavyweight, a more realistic fight to win, and a guy with a promoter who has a contract with Setanta (Sauerland). I would have waited for Wlad-Povetkin, but either Haye really fancies this, or he can't resist home advantage & a big money fight.

[Lenny]

Tough one, i'll want to grab a ticket straight away but you still can't be 100% convinced that Vitali can come through a training camp unscathed.

Does a June fight leave Haye enough time to fit one more in? I doubt it.

Anyway, very unpredictable fight on many levels

Plus I think Gomez should get a shot first

[lefthook82]

I think this is a bad move from Haye to be honest. But I gues if he figfhts Vit and wins it negate the need to fight Vlad, weheras fighting Vlad would not negate the need to foght Vit, if that makes any sense

Would like to see him in with a big heavyweight to see if he can get his shots off

[Carbo]

After watching Rahman - Klitschko, I can perfectly see why Haye wanted Vlad: that stance is just a big, 42pt bold fonted invitation for a straight right down the pipe.

Vitali has the same stance, but is more awkward and has an iron chin. Some of the bombs he took from Lennox were sickening, and would have flattened virtually anyone else I can think of. Can Haye dent that chin? Without the inactivity I'd say no.

Anyway, it's an interesting fight that should be more in doubt than many might think:

Against Klitschko: His wise stance, with more weight on the back foot, guard well in front of his face and lean away defense should be made for Haye. His inactivity should also play a part. He has not faced fast, hard straight punchers like Haye since he fought Lewis, five years ago. Peter flattered to deceive: the Nigerian was well under trained and completely ineffective. His ponderous foot movement and tyrannosaurus style arm length allowed Vitali to tee off at will and dictate the pace of the fight. Peter was all wrong in terms of style to beat Vitali, and was simply dreadful on the night. Lewis, when Vitali fought him was well past his peak, and had clearly underprepared. He had trained to fight Kirk Johnson and Vitali was brought in as a late replacement -- blatantly different fighters. Lewis always struggled with men who could establish their own jabs. Since then, Klitschko has fought not a single quality opponent, and, as many have pointed out, he has not really had to take a punch since he fought Sanders. Klitschko is old and his body is a bit cream crackered.

For Klitschko: He is tough to hit, and when you do hit him, he has an iron chin. Despite Lewis's condition, he hit Vitali with several bombs, including the famous uppercut and Vitali didn't wilt. Sanders also hit him with many heavy, heavy shots and Vitali didn't blink. He is a tough, rugged man who can go the distance. Haye may hit hard, but harder than Sanders and Lewis? No. Haye is also questionable in the stamina department, although he maintained quite a lick against Barrett. He is tiny compared to Klitschko, and nowhere near as naturally strong. Klitschko has exceptional power, and Haye's chin has not been tested at heavyweight.

Personally, I see this fight being decided by the jab. If Vitali can establish it early, he will keep Haye off balance and set up the Englishman for the right. Haye will not be able to get in range, and generate the force to land the bombs he would need to. If Vitali doesn't establish the jab, or simply paws with it, as he is want to do, his wide stance, Eastern European style is made for Haye, and the wear and tear and age might just catch up with him.

[DavidPayne]

What would Haye learn fighting 6-6 fellas like McCline as prep. Nothing.

He'd be better digging up Henry Akinwande style wise.

Haye thinks "I know how to hit people, if I can hit him I will, if I can't - at least I'll know, without faffing around!"

And can you really prepare for being hit by a 240lb guy? If any heavyweight hits you clean at that weight, its good night isn't it? Whether youv'e acclimatised by fighting some second rate giant or not.

[MR UNTOUCHABLE]

Before we get overly excited, is this a done deal or not?

Seems a little strange to announce it's 'almost done'!

Why not wait the extra few days and announce it's on with full impact?

I hope this isn't a hype job!!

[Carbo]

Before we get overly excited, is this a done deal or not?

Seems a little strange to announce it's 'almost done'!

Why not wait the extra few days and announce it's on with full impact?

I hope this isn't a hype job!!

I suspect Haye is putting pressure on K2 to get it done. Classic Yes, Minister stuff.

[Lenny]

Yeah probably far from a done deal but Haye is letting everyone know whose fault it is if the fight doesn't happen.
If Vitali doesn't fight him maybe he can spend the next 5 years moaning about how Vitali promised him a fight.
Herbie showed in one round how a smaller guy with extra speed can land on Vitali quite easily, before the wind blew him over in the second, wait, that was a short lifetime ago and thus probably has no bearing on this fight. Herbie still looked great in that first round though

[bennie]

Former undisputed world cruiserweight champion David Haye guns for the WBC heavyweight title held by Vitali Klitschko next summer in London in one of the biggest fights in Britain for many a year.
The fast, explosive Haye moved up to heavyweight in November with a five-round pounding of division gatekeeper Monte Barrett, who was down five times (six, if you count the New Yorker's ring entrance). Londoner Haye is a puncher, he weighs under 220lbs, he is under 30, he stands 6ft 3ins, he looks the part, he exudes star quality...
Oh yes, the decrepit heavyweight division has been waiting.
Klitschko summed up the state of the division late last year when he staggered out of four years' retirement and pasted fat Nigerian Samuel Peter in nine rounds in Germany to win back the WBC heavyweight title. The 37-year-old Ukrainian can fight - a giant of a man at 6ft 7½ins - but his knees and his back prompted him to quit in the first place and everyone is a bit sick of the glum, injury prone, flawed, overweight, oversized, faceless collection of heavyweights out there today. Haye was recently belittled by Wladimir Klitschko - yes, another one - as "too small" for the division.
They said the same thing about Mike Tyson in 1986.

[MightyWarrior]

Seems unlikely, Vitali has a mandatory first, then he's supposed to get his creaking frame ready for another quick one, two months later?
Plus I'm surprised DH would agree to this fight - it's Wlad he wants, as he's said at every opportunity - Vitali is by far the tougher fight, and a fight that will likely end Haye's HW dream pretty abruptly too.
He's got a very good chance with Wlad, but it's a long shot against Vitali, and he'd be a big underdog in that one. Can't see it happening, makes much more sense to sit tight and wait for Wlad....

[rob h]

Great news, i hope the fight does come off.

I have nothing but respect for Haye. Im not sure about the result though.

I remember before Vitali fought Lewis he was known as a bit of a joke of a boxer. But now he has this monster reputation....

Lets see what happens.

[Herol]

This is a very difficult fight to predict because Haye is relatively unknown as a heavyweight, especially against someone with the height, reach and strength of Klit. Meanwhile Klit hasn't put in a convincing performance against a live opponent since Lewis.

They obviously want to protect Wlad's china chin, I'd have liked to see that one first.

Haye on points or late stoppage. He will demoralise Klit with his speed and skill more than his power. But anyone who thinks that Klit is not going to respect Haye's power just because he took such enormous shots from Lewis is wrong. Haye's punches will be faster than Lewis and he will be all around sharper and taking less punches. Lewis was ragged.

Don't forget that if Haye does lose, it will probably be a stoppage, but I don't think that it's likely to be one of those brutal career ending fights, in which case I think that Haye will come back and beat one of the shittier champions and get a rematch against one of the Klits.

Does anyone think that Haye likes this fight mainly because of Vitali's inactivity? Or is it purely his take on all comers attitude?

[jamesmcdonnell]

I can understand Haye's philosophy, why not go for the biggest test out there? Vitali is a beast of a man, a real toughnut with underrated effectiveness - but he is still 37, with quite a few miles on the clock.

Hard to see Haye being able to get near Vitali, who uses his height and reache extremely effectively and who has an even better jab than Wlad, when he chooses to use it correctly.

Haye will need to get inside quickly, because the longer he is on the outside, the more jabs and straight shots he will take.

Haye might as well go for it though - he isn't going to get any better at taking punches with more fights, so he may as well go for it now as he could easily lose at heavyweight before he gets his shot.

[Bard of Boxrec]

can't believe some of these predictions. This will be a horrible night. The more I think about it the more I see a total disaster - a Vitali/Hide II.

I really hope Haye gets to lands something and make it interesting, at least then we'll know if he was capable of denting Vitali. Ther trouble is I think he'll only be able to land single shots on Vitali because of Klitschko's sheer awkwardness.

The only way I see Haye winning will be if Klit has declined - but I don't think he will have done.

I will be so desperate to be proved wrong on this as Haye is my favourite fighter. In fact, I might lump huge on Klitschko to soften the blow if Vitali wins.

[Herol]

can't believe some of these predictions. This will be a horrible night. The more I think about it the more I see a total disaster - a Vitali/Hide II.

I really hope Haye gets to lands something and make it interesting, at least then we'll know if he was capable of denting Vitali. Ther trouble is I think he'll only be able to land single shots on Vitali because of Klitschko's sheer awkwardness.

I will be so desperate to be proved wrong on this as Haye is my favourite fighter. In fact, I might lump huge on Klitschko to soften the blow if Vitali wins.

Haye is in a different league to Hide, who was a guy who bullied lesser fighters. Who did he ever beat? He liked to dish it out but he couldn't take it, and was far less skilled than Haye. He also fought scared against Vitali. Vitali is older now too.

[Bard of Boxrec]

I never said Hide was better than Haye at all.. I'm just saying I think that's how the fight would go... as in Haye will be reaching in with shots, get tagged and not be able to withstand Vitali's power. He'll show more heart than Hide did though.

[banjo]

I can see Hayes logic in going straight for the Klitschkos rather than fighting meaningless fights to build up to and "prepare" him for a Klitschko fight because there simply isn't a decent opponent out there who can prepare him for Wlad or Vitali. I actually felt a fight with Vitali would be more realistic because Wlad never fights anyone but useless stiffs and would show no interest in someone young, live and capable of testing his chin.

[Herol]

I never said Hide was better than Haye at all.. I'm just saying I think that's how the fight would go... as in Haye will be reaching in with shots, get tagged and not be able to withstand Vitali's power. He'll show more heart than Hide did though.

I realise that, but the superiority of Haye will definitely mean that this fight is nothing like that demolition, even if Haye does get knock out.

[Herol]

Proof that Haye can take Vitali's shots

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hymmhjUUcgM

[Dirk Kelly]

Haye within 3rnds,u heard it here first....

Tommy are you the dude that always gets a mention on Bunce's boxing hour?

[Max Molyneux]

Max, Haye dropped Barrett 5 times therefore his power is over-rated????

I said might be average not overrated, Haye normally has them out by the 1st knockdown. Why wasn't Barrett stopped after the first?

Max, the Lewis uppercut will be 5 years ago when the fight happens. I could run the 100m in 12 seconds 5 years ago. Now I can't run for sex and an arse tickle.

When Vitali steps in the ring he will have boxed 8 rounds in 4.5 years (I've been told that the Gomez defence could be delayed to allow this fight). That kind of inactivity would make Tony Ayala Jr proud! He will also be approaching his 38th birthday.

For me this is not a foregone conclusion for either fighter. A very interesting matchup.

And, frankly, we should all be on our knees praying to Bermondsley in gratitude. Because it's refreshing to find a British fighter that has a mouth and balls to match. Because in Newbridge one of the two appear to have disappeared.

His chin hasn't faded since the Lewis uppercut though, he'd take Haye's reckless overhand rights easy.

He hadn't boxed for years and was still fresh to make Scam Cheater quit he stays In shape enough not to get so rusty and Haye's not being as active lately either since moving up.

Mouth and balls won't mean much when Vitali humbles him.

As Newbridge he has proven his balls and doesn't have a glass jaw.