Nail your colours to the mast - David Haye retirement

[dondada]

David Haye is 29-years-old. He says he will retire at 31. I am interested to know if people think he is a man of his word or not. He seems to have done what he said he'd do to date. So what do you reckon?

Also, do you think it is a good idea to make that sort of goal public knowledge?

Not a chance. No way.

[Autobarn]

one thing with haye - once he has lost his speed, he won't be so effecive. ok he'll still have his punch, but he won't be able to get out the way and it could be bad news. i think he wants to hit the jackpot - i.e. BIG fight - and then not hang around.

i know, we want our top fighters to be at the top for a long time. if haye is truly going to retire soon, then i think it means "only big fights from now on." nothing less than the klitschkos and if successful, hard defenses vs anyone good who comes through i..e perhaps adamek, povetkin, if they can raise their profile into big fight material.

[Jeff Thomas]

Thus far Haye has done everything asked of him. He's ducked no-one relevant, he's taken on the biggest challenges. Once he beats the Klitchko's his career easily surpasses the likes of Calzaghe and Hatton. Every credit. All these achievements and hardly anymiles on the clock.

I'd like to think that while he is beating the Klitchko's someone else like Solis will develop a good following and be a top class adversary but more then likely Haye will smash the Klitchko's and sit atop a once again derilict heavyweight landscape.

We need heavies.

[big lennox]

I think Haye will do as he says.He and his team are very straightforward and say as they do.Haye has given me no reason to doubt what he says.

[lefthook82]

If he gets flattened in the way I expect him to against Vlad then he might retire even sooner

[gobbles]

He says he wants 4 fights before he retires next October.

He is unlikely to box until this October because his wife is pregnant. That will have mean he had boxed twice in the previous 23 months. At that rate, it will take him 3 years at least to box 4 times, so I would expect him not to retire before his is 31.

[stujones]

Not like Haye has never lied on UK TV. "Sorry Enzo, we can fight but come up to Heavyweight now - I'm done at Cruiser".

"I'm going for the KO vs Valuev".

[CheckHook]

I could see him 'retiring' for a year and then coming back. If he keeps winning there's no way he would beat the Klitschko's and reitre permenantly after that, unless there was just noone left.

[dondada]

I think Haye will do as he says.He and his team are very straightforward and say as they do.Haye has given me no reason to doubt what he says.

It's not Haye, particularly, that's the issue. It's boxers in general. Anecdotally, I'd say 90% retire later than they intend to.

[charlieb]

I think it depends on how things pan out for him in those 2 years. There's Valuev's rematch clause (if it's enforced), then a Klitschko, if he pulls that off it'll either be a rematch against the same Klit or the other brother... those three fights alone will put miles on the clock (I'd imagine).

[FLINT ISLAND]

Yes - it all depends how his career goes over the next 4 fights or 2 years

Whatever you want to judge it by

I think you take it fight by fight

If he is a mega success and he is undisputed champion and he is making £2 or £3 or £4 or £5 million every time steps in a ring to defend his title no way will he retire

Why retire as undisputed champion at 31 years old - when you had at least another 4 or 5 or 6 fights left in you earning mega money ?

But if he gets knocked out - or loses his title - or things dont go so great - he may cut his losses and just be thankful for what he achieved and earned and get out earlier.

[Jesus]

To me Haye comes across as a guy who loves the money, fame and the spotlight. He may very well intend to retire when he says but i will bet anything he will come back 12-18 months later. What else is Haye gonna do in retirement? Analyst for Sky boxing shows every now and again? I mean Haye loves being on tv and with a few exceptions retired boxers dont get much air time. Ask any sportsman who know nothing else but there profession they say retirement is too quiet!

[FLINT ISLAND]

To me Haye comes across as a guy who loves the money, fame and the spotlight. He may very well intend to retire when he says but i will bet anything he will come back 12-18 months later. What else is Haye gonna do in retirement? Analyst for Sky boxing shows every now and again? I mean Haye loves being on tv and with a few exceptions retired boxers dont get much air time. Ask any sportsman who know nothing else but there profession they say retirement is too quiet!

He is like John Conteh - a good looking playboy type fighter.

Haye says he dosent do it for the money

I disagree - and think now secretly he might want a few more defences and paydays before mixing it with Wlad

Just to build up that pension pot before he really tests himself.

[Captain Hook]

David Haye is 29-years-old. He says he will retire at 31. I am interested to know if people think he is a man of his word or not. He seems to have done what he said he'd do to date. So what do you reckon?

Also, do you think it is a good idea to make that sort of goal public knowledge?

Not a chance. No way.

x2

Fighting at the rate he is he can easily carry on until he's 35

[JamesH]

I interviewed Haye in 2007 and he said 30 then

[hurlock]

David Haye is 29-years-old. He says he will retire at 31. I am interested to know if people think he is a man of his word or not. He seems to have done what he said he'd do to date. So what do you reckon?

Also, do you think it is a good idea to make that sort of goal public knowledge?

what's your take???

i think it's in haye's intrest to sell as many ticket's as possible & his im not here to stay attitude tells fans to not watch the parade pass.i think haye will go out how he came in,only on the other end.i think once he get's flattend he'll do his dammest to get back into contention & you wont see him keep plugging away, i honestly he dont have that stubborness or grit imo.

[Loynesy]

To me Haye comes across as a guy who loves the money, fame and the spotlight. He may very well intend to retire when he says but i will bet anything he will come back 12-18 months later. What else is Haye gonna do in retirement? Analyst for Sky boxing shows every now and again? I mean Haye loves being on tv and with a few exceptions retired boxers dont get much air time. Ask any sportsman who know nothing else but there profession they say retirement is too quiet!

He is like John Conteh - a good looking playboy type fighter.

Haye says he dosent do it for the money

I disagree - and think now secretly he might want a few more defences and paydays before mixing it with Wlad

Just to build up that pension pot before he really tests himself.

Flint - other than being mixed race and good looking, WTF does he have in common with John Conteh?

[whiskey]

It's up to Haye really.

Nobody would mind if he boxed on into his mid 30's I dont think.

There are some tough and interesting fights out there, Solis and especially Adamek are skimming under the radar but are stylistic threats.

[J]

To me Haye comes across as a guy who loves the money, fame and the spotlight. He may very well intend to retire when he says but i will bet anything he will come back 12-18 months later. What else is Haye gonna do in retirement? Analyst for Sky boxing shows every now and again? I mean Haye loves being on tv and with a few exceptions retired boxers dont get much air time. Ask any sportsman who know nothing else but there profession they say retirement is too quiet!

He is like John Conteh - a good looking playboy type fighter.

Haye says he dosent do it for the money

I disagree - and think now secretly he might want a few more defences and paydays before mixing it with Wlad

Just to build up that pension pot before he really tests himself.

Flint - other than being mixed race and good looking, WTF does he have in common with John Conteh?

Suppose some playboy comment gonna be mad ehere, which is no longer the case.
Happily married man with a son Cassius....Cassius Haye...class

[whicker]

Well, he's had a good reign as Crusierweight world champ- beating the not-as-good-as-we-though-he-was Enzo Maccarinelli to climax that.

Now at heavy he's worked through workhorses John Ruiz and Monte Barrett, and out-tacticed Valuev.

But as of yet, no big test.

And people talk of retirment???

[lefthook82]

his HW reign has been warren-esque in its cynicism but if he fights the Klits it will be fine

[bugs]

his HW reign has been warren-esque in its cynicism but if he fights the Klits it will be fine

In what way? He fought a gatekeeper, a holder of one of the main belts and a mandatory.

[tonyevs]

If he gets to get in the ring with any of the K-Brothers before he is 31yrs old .. then yes he probably will retire then.

As somebody here previously stated. His style of fighting does not have a long shelf life in the heavyweight division.

[Twinkle Toes]

A lot of boxers talk of retiring at a certain age, but they never stick with it. Maybe Haye will be different, but I doubt it. There is too much money to be made.

[Autobarn]

his HW reign has been warren-esque in its cynicism but if he fights the Klits it will be fine

i don't think there's anything warren-esque or cynical about haye. he's won 4 world titles at 2 weights in a 2 or 3 year period, surivived the loss of his setanta TV contract and has proven marketbility which will likely take him into a fight with wlad klitschko.