What's your David Haye career obituary?

[Tuan_Jim]

Have mixed feelings about this. I loved Haye as a cruiserweight, exciting and violent, and willing to fight anyone. But his heavyweight career has been a cynical, horrible money grab. He could have perhaps been the man to wipe out Wlad but was more concerned about his image and going the distance. The little toe excuse is probably the definitive, all-time worst. Can you imagine what someone like Jack Dempsey would have made of it? The comeback opponents have been insulting and to lose twice to a fat light heavyweight is an awful note to go out on. I still think back to his debut at York Hall, versus Tony Booth, and how sensational he looked, but unfortunately it seems he has squandered his brilliant ability and ultimately tarnished his image. I don't think he will be remembered fondly like Bruno and Lewis.

[SteveDow]

He was an excellent cruiserweight. Exciting, powerful and explosive. I thought his display against Maccarinelli was utterly breathtaking.

As a heavyweight prior to the Klitschko fight he was also exciting. Did himself no favours with the way he foughts against Klitschko after all of the trashtalking and his comeback has proven to be a bit of a disaster for his legacy albeit I'm sure he'll have made a few million out of it.

[Boxerbeetle]

His cynical cash-grabs are poor form indeed. But currently when I think of Haye, I still immediately think of the excitement of the Enzo / Mormeck / Fragomeni fights. Nothing will take those great memories away, so I hope that’s how he will ultimately be remembered. Those sort of fights are what boxing is all about.

[Horse]

David Haye

Jean Marc Mormeck
Enzo Maccarinelli
Nikolay Valuev
Dereck Chisora
Giacobbe Fragomeni
John Ruiz
Audley Harrison
Monte Barrett
Alexander Gurov
Wladimir Klitschko - (Lost)


There's his top 10 results. It's a pretty good list, but with the way some people talk about Haye, it's not all that great is it really?

[Covfefe]

His cynical cash-grabs are poor form indeed. But currently when I think of Haye, I still immediately think of the excitement of the Enzo / Mormeck / Fragomeni fights. Nothing will take those great memories away, so I hope that’s how he will ultimately be remembered. Those sort of fights are what boxing is all about.

Can you believe it’s over ten years since he beat Enzo!

[HomicideHenry]

"In a depressingly weak and dreadfully dull, monotonous era for the Heavyweight division a brash talking Brit leaped from the unheralded cruiserweight division, just as Evander Holyfield did long before, and with fists of fury lit a dynamite keg that generated quality entertainment thought to have died when Tyson retired a decade before. Limited, oafish, ogres and wannabes named Valuev, Ruiz, Harrison and Barrett fell to his feet, and the world wildly speculated, 'Has the era of nimble, athletic heavyweights finally returned?', and with men like Adamek and Cunningham also finding success with the big men it certainly seemed that way. But as the poet once penned: IT WAS TOO GOOD TO LAST, and whether it be ego or reality, physics or something else, Hayes's momentum ended at the hands of a 6'6" 245 pound Ukrainian who fought like a Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robot. Despite claims to the contrary, he was never again the same, even when he kayoed someone named Chisora: it was just a temporary halt to the inevitable outcome. Haye was a shooting star, who burned bright and beautiful forcing us to watch him cascade across the sky of pugilism... And his brilliance ended as soon as it came... But don't weep and wonder, 'What might have been?', those things never satisfy... No, just remember that for a brief, brief time in history the Heavyweight division was entertaining once again... Thanks David!"

[jamamb]

David Haye

Jean Marc Mormeck
Enzo Maccarinelli
Nikolay Valuev
Dereck Chisora
Giacobbe Fragomeni
John Ruiz
Audley Harrison
Monte Barrett
Alexander Gurov
Wladimir Klitschko - (Lost)


There's his top 10 results. It's a pretty good list, but with the way some people talk about Haye, it's not all that great is it really?

the wbss cruiser winner will already have a stronger cruiser resume

i do think at his best he was an excellent talent though

[stujones]

I just only wished he would have just kept being active after Chisora - that was really a jaw dropping display looking back. Chisora might be a gatekeeper, but no-one has done that to him. He looked so sharp that night.

[dr_devious]

Great great cruiserweight, less than great heavyweight. Hopefully people will remember him from the 2000s rather than the 2010s

[SAPFO]

Haye fell victim to himself. He always said 31 was the right age to jack it in. He crossed that line, and he paid the price.

I just hope for the entertainment he’s given, and the punishment he’s taken recently, that he’s set himself up for life. Himself and Bellew couldn’t believe he was hitting the deck like that. Look at both of their “WTF” faces in the slow mo’s. Saying that, every punch Tony threw was controlled.


We knew Father Time had been, and David lost money in Dubai. He just had to do what he had to do to retire comfortably. And that was sell his soul to the “fat mouthy scouser” Tony Bellew, which ain’t no shame.

He’s an intelligent guy, im sure he’ll always be welcome as a pundit.


Respect Tony. Tonight mate, you were Rocky!!

[Horse]

Haye fell victim to himself. He always said 31 was the right age to jack it in. He crossed that line, and he paid the price.

He was daft to say that.

31 is way too young to be retiring.

[gilgamesh]

Don't let the door hit you on the ass on the way out

[oogiebe]

"He can't make me look bad on predictions anymore."

[SAPFO]

Haye fell victim to himself. He always said 31 was the right age to jack it in. He crossed that line, and he paid the price.

He was daft to say that.

31 is way too young to be retiring.

In hindsight though, he could have rode off into the sunset at 31, legacy intact.

David being David though, he let Tony ride his horse, and he decided to ride off into the desert on a camel

.....and got himslef lost!!

[Nightmare Roy]

A great fighter at his best, probably a top 5 all time CW. In his prime he would have taken Bellew's head clean off. Hope he's made enough money to enjoy life,he's absolutely shot to sh1t. Walk away.

[oogiebe]

A great fighter at his best, probably a top 5 all time CW. In his prime he would have taken Bellew's head clean off. Hope he's made enough money to enjoy life,he's absolutely shot to sh1t. Walk away.

Excellent! Let's see if he's a smarty or a farty, as my 9 y/o says.

[CaptainSpacerod]

He should be remembered as an exciting supremely talented boxer one of britain’s Best ever and a genuine unified world champion

Up to the chisora fight more often than not he was genuinely elite. His career post Del Boy is just a sad reflection on what father time does to us. He had nothing left to offer but the memory of how he once dazzled us kept fans coming back for more even though he was clearly a shadow of his former self in his final few fights.

[Grilling Machine]

I've always felt it was a crying shame that heavyweight fame tempted him away from cruiserweight dominance.

Obviously not including everyone in history who fought at or below 200lb, I think he could've been the greatest cruiser of its 200lb era. With enough motivation he'd have been the best until the current lot arrived, and I think he'd have beaten them all 8+ years ago.

In retrospect he's been a stuck record since Chisora, trying to smash everyone out in the same fashion, but with ever-worsening timing. He was in full control against Bellew for two rounds and then, as Bellew said, reverted to his latterday type. But Haye wasn't always so one-dimensional, and I think it's the twin properties of Bellew's movement and his relative lack of power that once again proved Haye's undoing.

I know it sounds daft, but I think Haye would've fought better had Bellew more power. There was a lack of respect for it again, as Haye threw away his working gameplan to go toe-to-toe. Just because one of Haye's punches could've floored Bellew versus several of Bellew's to do the same, timing beats power.

I give Bellew credit for having the balls to stay in the pocket and make Haye pay for his ill-timed wildness, but still feel that Haye lost that for himself with unenforced errors in the 3rd. He needs to retire now, because I fear he'd be seriously hurt by Wilder and Joshua, and he doesn't have the workrate and engine for Parker or Whyte. He's 5 years past those guys.

The only fight worth considering in my opinion is Fury. Same goes for Bellew and Price. If Fury's serious about keeping busy, he'd earn a fortune from fighting those three in succession.

Otherwise, I'll remember Haye as a brilliant — mesmerising at times — and half-wasted talent. Possibly my favourite boxer of the 2000s.

[Taansend]

David Haye.

Knocked out by aging Light Heavyweights but goes the distance with the one of the biggest punching Heavyweights in recent history.

He's a conundrum.

I like Haye (I like most boxers). Wish him all the best. He'd do well moving into the Jason Statham/Vinne Jones type acting role. They'd lap him up in America.

[tigermoth87]

Solid career. Excellent cruiserweight, good but not great Heavyweight. Could have been an ATG Crusier if he'd have stuck there.

A good resume of wins. Some exciting fights. A lot of heart in the ring but always makes excuses out.

[BroughtonRulesRefuge]

- The Hayemaker 10th grade bully boy terrorizing 8th graders will be remembered being reduced to nothing but hayemakers by his end, eternally shamed by his brokeback Pinketh toe that sees him well whooped by the nerdiest 8th grader in the school much to the chagrin of his fawning sillies.

C'est la vie, que lastima.

[TheGman]

"In a depressingly weak and dreadfully dull, monotonous era for the Heavyweight division a brash talking Brit leaped from the unheralded cruiserweight division, just as Evander Holyfield did long before, and with fists of fury lit a dynamite keg that generated quality entertainment thought to have died when Tyson retired a decade before. Limited, oafish, ogres and wannabes named Valuev, Ruiz, Harrison and Barrett fell to his feet, and the world wildly speculated, 'Has the era of nimble, athletic heavyweights finally returned?', and with men like Adamek and Cunningham also finding success with the big men it certainly seemed that way. But as the poet once penned: IT WAS TOO GOOD TO LAST, and whether it be ego or reality, physics or something else, Hayes's momentum ended at the hands of a 6'6" 245 pound Ukrainian who fought like a Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robot. Despite claims to the contrary, he was never again the same, even when he kayoed someone named Chisora: it was just a temporary halt to the inevitable outcome. Haye was a shooting star, who burned bright and beautiful forcing us to watch him cascade across the sky of pugilism... And his brilliance ended as soon as it came... But don't weep and wonder, 'What might have been?', those things never satisfy... No, just remember that for a brief, brief time in history the Heavyweight division was entertaining once again... Thanks David!"

I like this,used to love david haye at cruiser and when he made the junp to heavy,really thought he was the man to end wlads reign but was nit to be then when he fought chisora he was exciting and blew him away then the fury pull outs wrecked haye and made him the laughing stock of british boxing hence why bellew gave him a hard time in the first fight "just turn up". He entertained me for the best part of a decade and i hope he gangs them up now,he has nothing to prove and it would wreck a great career if he carries on

[DrDuke]

Well, conclusions are pretty obvious. A great cruiserweight career, as mentioned, and a solid heavyweight career being a minor champion for a while.

[Lenny Cravats]

The Thompson fight was incredible. I watched it on the outdoor big screen in Manchester City Centre.
The post fight interview was class, seeing a clearly devastated Haye sat next to Thompson, arms over each others shoulders singing each others praises - Haye was really humble about the whole thing.
The way he then rebuilt his career, taking on Mormeck in France, beating Fragomeni with buckets of blood pouring down his face and a masterful performance against Enzo.... All great memories.
Then his heavyweight career turned that on its head. Frustrating injuries, awful fights with Klitschko and the big lad (can't remember his name), the Klitschko t-shirts and the cocky attitude - I found him unbearable in the Klitschko build up. His come back opponents and all the pomp around those fights made it clear that it was all a money grab - awful circus-like rot.

[TheCobra]

Very very good cruiserweight, extremely exciting career at that weight and in some very good fights at that weight.
Limited heavyweight but still was involved in some good fights and big events pre his first 'retirement'.
Klitschko fight was a huge disappointment.
From 2012 onwards, shameful, knew he was carrying big injuries but carried on blagging people regardless for the love of the £££.