David Haye - should have stayed amateur until Athens

Chopping Right · Post by **Chopping Right** » 09 Jun 2005, 16:20

I can't help wondering why British cruiserweight prospect David Haye couldn't hang on to his vest until the Athens Olympics last year. When I look at his professional career to date he has still had only 13 fights in the 2.5 years he has been pro, the biggest bout of which he lost by KO to veteran Carl Thompson. I think if Haye had been at Athens he would have had a great chance of an Olympic medal, and still have turned pro aged only 24. At the 2001 Worlds in Belfast he looked tremendous winning the Silver. He was really starting to come into his own in international competition and badly hurt the Cuban Odlanier Solis in the final. Had the referee not been so quick to stop the action and allowed Haye to land another blow Solis could have been KO'ed. A further 2 or 3 years of top amateur competition and an Olympic medal would have provided an even better pedigree for Haye's pro career.

boxmel · Post by **boxmel** » 14 Jun 2005, 23:36

Money??????????????? That's what usually drains the U.S. amateur ranks. :(

overhand_right · Post by **overhand_right** » 15 Jun 2005, 03:57

OH PLEASE!!!

When the Cuban came firing back at Haye in rd 2 he got busted up & bloodied and ran out gas. Haye smiled with relief when the ref stopped the fight.

Haye was not close to coming back & winning this fight.

Yeah he coulda stayed round til the olympics so he could get knocked out by a Cuban but hey he turned pro everyones got to make a living while their body is young & strong.

Hesketh Vampire · Post by **Hesketh Vampire** » 15 Jun 2005, 05:05

overhand_right wrote:Haye was not close to coming back & winning this fight.

I have to agree with that. Haye had a brief moment early when he stunned the Cuban, but Solis came back strongly for the rest of the fight. Haye had a good run of amateur results at the time but it would have been another 3 long years until Athens.