What if Haye simply freezes?

[DavidPayne]

Big talk, big bombs, big hopes, big bollacks, big t-shirts.

But what happens if big Wlad hits him with a stiff jab flush in the open 10 seconds and we all see THAT look on Haye's face.

The "oh shit" look. It doesn't knock him down, just illuminates him to the size of the challenge.

I'm trying to think of the last time it happened.

Wlad and Vitaly are both over-rated in some quarters and Haye does bring tools precious few have before him - speed, athleticism etc.

But he's never fought anyone near the dimensions or weight of punch of Wlad. Nobody.

I cannot summon up the confidence to discount the giant Ukrainian, can you?

[Adamj1987]

Big talk, big bombs, big hopes, big bollacks, big t-shirts.

But what happens if big Wlad hits him with a stiff jab flush in the open 10 seconds and we all see THAT look on Haye's face.

The "oh shit" look. It doesn't knock him down, just illuminates him to the size of the challenge.

I'm trying to think of the last time it happened.

Wlad and Vitaly are both over-rated in some quarters and Haye does bring tools precious few have before him - speed, athleticism etc.

But he's never fought anyone near the dimensions or weight of punch of Wlad. Nobody.

I cannot summon up the confidence to discount the giant Ukrainian, can you?

id love to think haye is going to win but i belive wlad will win though i belive haye is doing the right thing by trying to winde wlad up i could make him stop using his jab as much and actually fight though this could back fire and see haye bombed out quickly

[teddy007]

Let me say this, IT WILL NOT HAPPEN, that I can guarantee. Haye will fight this dude with all his guts and heart.

[jamesmcdonnell]

Ray Mercer - to be fair was older than god's dog.

However, even a 42 year old mercer has a better chin than Haye.

I think Haye has to hit and trouble Wlad early to prevent being dominated. Once Wlad gets into his groove with the jab it's very hard to get him out of that rut.

I really wonder what Haye's tactics will be, I cannot imagine he is going to try and pick and poke his way to victory, nobody has ever been able to do that to Wlad. The only people who have beaten him have had to either absorb a beating before they won, or simply whack him out of their like Sanders.

Wlad's stamina is suspect, but to get to the point where that is a factor, Haye will have had to have made it through eight rounds first, which is no small feat.

[hurlock]

thing is weight dont mean nothing frazier or norton would of smashed these lumps up no problem.
haye looks to bulky to me tbh.
to me haye is still not proven @ heavy he's proven @ cruiser he aint that durable.
he can do somthing early i feel tho.

[DavidPayne]

I can see unease in Wlad, you can see it in the body-language in the tone of voice - even through his heavily accented English. Haye is under his skin, either unnerving the big fella in the way Clay unnerved the big, quiet Liston who sported a similarly bemused look - and of course Clay had been dropped by smaller men than the then bear-like champion. In that respect, I think Haye's tactics are spot-on - he's giving Wlad food for thought before the bell. He's entering into no pact in the way predeccessors have.

Its do or die, in the sporting sense, so Wlad knows Haye will come looking to take him out, or must presume that. Nobody for years has presented that kind of aggression to the big man. His size and arsenal is usually sufficient to make challengers hope for a chess match where eventually they opt out, with some grace, after 5-9 rounds.

There will be no such whispered deal here and I think that has Wlad unsure.

It will be interesting to see how he handles that new question, that new analysis of his own substance, mental and otherwise.

However, for all the bravado, Haye is going to get hit. And when Haye gets hit or clipped, he's gone down. I rewatched his loss to Thompson the other night and it was surprising how often Thompson stiffened Haye with his jab, as early as the second round. Haye has unquestionably become a more seasoned pro since but he gets caght with rights still and Wlad has angles to land those rights Haye will have precious little defence for.

I pitch both ways on this.......but its important people look beyond the bravado if they want to pick the winner. If you press mute to Haye's self-promotion and watch the tape - he has lots of weaknesses. Wlad is a seasoned, rounded professional. Not a risk taker but he once again enjoys big advantages of reach, height, weight, experience, rounds, activity, location........

[TerribleTerry]

I haven't seen any idicatin that Haye will choke from his career to this point; his is a fighter confident in his own abilities and the weight of his own punch.

He knows he can get wobbled, dropped and stopped but he also knows that Klit has the physical tools of a colossus but the safety first approach of fighter who knows he is fragile and far from unbeatable.

All this bullsh1t and bluster should help get Klit out of his safety first 'jab and wait' strategy and will hopefully open opportunities for Haye to land his howitzers.

I know Spinks looked timid when finally faced with Tyson but I don't think Haye will be intimidated in the same way by the physically imposing but beatable Ukrainian.

[jamesmcdonnell]

I think Frazier would have struggled with Wlad and Vitali, good as Frazier was, how would he have coped with a 6'7" 250 lb man with a jab like a battering ram.

Foreman was of a similar size, with similar attributes in terms of strength and power, although obviously he was more aggressive, and Foreman absolutely battered him from pillar to post.

[DavidPayne]

TT,

I agree, well sometimes I do, I certainly think Haye has Wlad spooked.

Its kind of disbelief that Haye has turned up and isn't presenting himself like an ambassador meeting the resident monarch - he's forgotten that this is a fist-fight business.

I think its unnerved him. And its true Haye is a confident lad.

[DavidPayne]

Frazier would have murdered Wladimir Klitschko at his peak. By the time Foreman got to him he'd lost the edge and was dismissive of Foreman's ability. He got a shock granted.....but what's Wlad going to do if Frazier gets up.

He couldn't even fend off Lamon Brewster who is like Frazier Lite-Lite-Lite.

[Phenomenal-Nutrition]

He won't freeze, and his chin isnt as bad as its made out, his defense is wide open though and thats his biggest problem he thinks he can shoulder roll like Floyd mayweather and he hasnt got the skill or those reactions to pull it off and ends up taking huge clean shots, happened against Mormeck and Barrett, he's coming to fight though and is trying to goade Wlad into a brawl and intimidate while selling the fight.

Someones getting ko'd and I'm not decided if Wlad's sharper straighter punches and tighter defense do the job or Haye's athleticism, speed, and agression do it.

[Counter-puncher]

his defense is wide open though and thats his biggest problem he thinks he can shoulder roll like Floyd mayweather and he hasnt got the skill or those reactions to pull it off and ends up taking huge clean shots,

sometimes he makes Jon Thaxton look like Floyd Mayweather jr

[Dioufy]

If Haye freezes then I would cry. If I do go to this, I'm going because I feel certain that Haye will KO Wlad in about four or five rounds. If he doesn't, and I believe it's a big if, then this would devastate me. But hopefully Haye won't freeze.

[Coco]

Haye may run out of gas, he may get chinned, but I can't see him freezing

[jamesmcdonnell]

Frazier would have murdered Wladimir Klitschko at his peak. By the time Foreman got to him he'd lost the edge and was dismissive of Foreman's ability. He got a shock granted.....but what's Wlad going to do if Frazier gets up.

He couldn't even fend off Lamon Brewster who is like Frazier Lite-Lite-Lite.

Lamon Brewster is considerably bigger than Frazier though.

Frazier would have struggled to land on Wlad. The guy was just over 6 foot, and had very short arms.

[ALI]

If Haye cannot, after the first three or four rounds, get his shots off, i think his confidence will have disintegrated. If thats the case i'd expect that by the fifth he'll be looking for a quick exit...... by that i mean getting out of there before getting beaten to a pulp.

It is very possible we will witness even more flinching/nervousness from Haye than we did from him in the Barrett fight. If he gets KO'd, i hope its from a solid blow/s and no phantom punch, i.e Herbie Hide: i'm a boxer, get me out of here!

[DG.]

Ray Mercer - to be fair was older than god's dog.

This is an 'anything can happen' type of fight!

[DavidPayne]

I know what you mean James. But come on, this is Joe freakin Frazier....Wlad doesn't have the will to keep Frazier off him, Ali had the fastest most accurate jab going and still couldn't keep him off. Brewster demonstrated one of Wlad's many flaws....he's a front - runner, though the Sam Peter fight showed spirit, unquestionnably, Frazier wouldn't have relented had he dropped Wlad twice - he'd have just kept motoring forward, I'm sure he would bested Wlad huffing and puffing arse late on.

[Old bones Ian]

I pretty sure Haye won't freeze, he's won titles away from home, and he's hardly the shy retiring type in general life.

I can see this fight being a bit cagy to start off with, Haye will look to show a bit of speed and power early to get Wlad's respect.

[alexpaterson]

Cant see him freezing i think Wlad will be to big for him and win by a mid KO but will have to get off his behind to win

[DG.]

I think he meant he will be 'frozen ' by a punch?

[observer1]

I think Frazier would have struggled with Wlad and Vitali, good as Frazier was, how would he have coped with a 6'7" 250 lb man with a jab like a battering ram.

Foreman was of a similar size, with similar attributes in terms of strength and power, although obviously he was more aggressive, and Foreman absolutely battered him from pillar to post.

Foreman is the same height as Ali.

Ali Humiliated Foreman, but Frazier one of a trilogy against Ali, and held his own in the other two.

Sorry, but the K Brothers are nothing like Foreman and Ali, and Frazier will walk through them imo. Especially Wlad.

[Lightsoot]

Haye was pushed onto the back foot relatively easily by the likes of Lasse Johannson and Giacobe Fraggomoni (or whatever his name is) at cruiserweight! Fortunately neither of them were big punchers otherwise the Hayemaker may have been in trouble. If Klitschko manages to establish his jab early then Haye will have serious problems.

Haye's temperament in big fights is impressive though, with the exception of Carl Thompson where I felt he learned a lot in defeat. He clinically took out dangerous bangers in Gurov and Maccarinelli and gradually broke Mormeck down in the lion's den having being in trouble. I'm not convinced that Haye's chin is made of china as some suggest. Lolenga Mock did floor him with a temple shot which can rob any fighter of his senses.

Fatigue more than anything was responsible for Haye's loss to Thompson. He was off-balance for the knockdown and though he staggered back against the ropes which prompted Thompson to wade in Haye was still trying to throw back when stopped on his feet. I also think the suggestion that Haye was hurt by Monte Barrett is fanciful and something people subconsciously like to tag to Haye's reputation of being Mr Excitement and Mr Vulnerable. His legs momentarily went against Mormeck but again I feel claims that Haye was in big trouble were exaggerated. He seemed to recover from the shot quickly and I never thought he was on the verge of being stopped at the time.

So, while Haye's chin is far from granite I don't think he'll be taken out early either, even despite Klitschko's famed power. That aside I don't see Haye winning. His best hope is to do a "Corrie Sanders" on Klitschko but I don't think he possesses Sanders' power or speed and he neither offers the cundundrum of being a "lefty" either. I also agree with the poster the other week who questioned the extent of Haye's own power itself. Monte Barrett went down pathetically easily, too easily for us to jump to the conclusion that Haye will drop Klitschko as soon as he lands.

The big man is a good fighter. He's tall, accurate and a hurtful puncher who controls a fight extremely well at distance. While his chin is a weakness he showed good survival instincts and heart to pick himself up three times against Samuel Peter who is argubly a stiffer puncher than Haye. I therefore see Haye being clinically broken down, attempting to go for broke after midway when he's a mile behind on the cards, and being stopped in 8-9 rounds. David doesn't possess the best defence and he also seems to easily bust up which is another worry.

[champ4ever]

Big talk, big bombs, big hopes, big bollacks, big t-shirts.

But what happens if big Wlad hits him with a stiff jab flush in the open 10 seconds and we all see THAT look on Haye's face.

The "oh shit" look. It doesn't knock him down, just illuminates him to the size of the challenge.

I'm trying to think of the last time it happened.

Wlad and Vitaly are both over-rated in some quarters and Haye does bring tools precious few have before him - speed, athleticism etc.

But he's never fought anyone near the dimensions or weight of punch of Wlad. Nobody.

I cannot summon up the confidence to discount the giant Ukrainian, can you?

if wladimir comes out and throws hard jabs and lands then yes i think it will have a negative effect on david haye, but then on the other hand we all know wladimir fights very cautiously, so if haye is using lateral movement and knowing the power that haye has got will wladimir dedicate fully to the jab or will he use it as a range finder? i got a feeling that the speed of haye will show very early in the fight, and to be honest i think haye has a good chance in winning this fight very early and the reason for that is because wladimir doesn't fight like a bigger man when put on pressure or caught, he's got no uppercut, so when fighters are up close to him he clinches, he panicks, he's only good at range, he can't fight that effectively on the inside, he's not like lennox lewis in that department. the reason i think haye is trying to wind up wladimir is to try and get wladimir to commit more so it gives more chance for the counter approach as wladimir leaves himself very open when he misses the right hand.

[whiskey]

I think Haye will be fine.

He's boxing the cordial Wlad... not prime Iron Mike !