Map out a way to save Haye's legacy.

[damianhucker1]

with hayes inactivity it could be 2 or maybe 3 years to get through those fights , making him 34 , if he doesnt retire at 31 as he said then can you really see him going on til 34 ?

[baulks]

He has to fight two fighters from the top ten and win convincingly.

Fight someone from rankings 5-10. Jean Marc Mormeck is ranked 7th by the WBA, or Kali Meehan who ranked 9th. Beat them by knockout. Mormeck is probably the safest bet.

Then fight a top 5 fighter. Hasim Rahman is 5th, or Chagaev at number 1. Rahman is the safer option by far, although heavy handed, he is alot slower than Haye.

Win the "Lineal" Title from Vitali Klitschko, very unlikely. If Vitali vacates and retires, then winning the vacant Title would re-establish him as World Class.

[Ketchel]

At the moment legacy wise Haye will only be remembered alongside the likes of Chagaev & Valuev from his same era. If he wants to remembered above this lot he needs to get busy and fight in the States. He needs to fight guys who have a following in the US, guys like Arreola and Adamek. Then back to Blighty against the Chisora v Fury winner. After this back to Germany against Dimitrenko or Helenius and finish in a fight against Wlad.

Fights in this order:

Arreola
Chisora/Fury
Adamek
Dimitrenko/Helenius
Wlad

[stevek3lly]

For me he hasn't proved his class against any decent heavies.

Low rank fights fights - Bonin, Harrison & Barrett
Half decent fights - John Ruiz
Top rank fights - Valuev & Klitschko

They are all the heavy fights he has had. He has not done enough to secure the legacy he talked about. He will go down in history as a 2 weight world champ and a decent fighter, but never making hall of fame in my book which he was expecting to do.

He needs to shut up about retiring and get more active.

[kamicazze]

I thiink he needs a name to get himself back on the map. I would begin with having him in a match with James Toney. He wins that and he can face Evander Holyfield.
I would then use big box office over here to promote an Oliander Solis match stemming from the amateur loss.
Then Vegas for Arreola for what would probably be a Vacant title at this point.
Next up would be Thomasz Adamek in the Boardwalk
Then he would fight an unbeaten Alexander Povetkin if povetkin hasnt already been defeated. In that case he fights the nearest up and comer such as helenius or mike perez
Then he gets the big one with Wladimir.
Win that and start calling Vitali out of retirement. Bring out a new T-shirt with Wladimirs head already severed and Vitali's head on the guillotine. Haye would of course be standing in the photo as the executioner.
Win or lose this and retire

[mcjarvo]

The only way he can get stright back in there is if Adamek beats vitali, then haye beats Adamek. Then he will be stright in there but I dout if Adamek can beat vitali and then haye would have to beat Adamek.

I dont think would Haye would wait 2,3 years for a rematch but i think that is the best option, I think he should get rid of Booth and go with Freddy Roach, or even Team up with Freddy Roach. Roach knows how to beat bigger boxers with speed and can teach Haye more defence. I do like booth but if he was really a true friend he would let him train with Freddy.

[grub]

IMO I'm not sure he has got a heavyweight legacy to save.

With the money in the bank I'm not sure Haye has the drive to work his way back. Also, as mentioned already he's not exactly been prolific in terms of his fight schedule.

Arreola wouldn't be a bad starting point. Other options could be Tony Thompson or Alexander Dimitrenko.

I get the feeling though Haye will continue to believe he has the right to be a PPV-level fighter and will not want to 'step-down' in order to come back.

[Spiker]

Lets face facts Haye has no way back at heavy. I cant see him fighting anyone apart from wlad or vitali. Or as ive said before he could quite easily unify at cruiser again and defend a good few times and it would still look impressive former heavy champ unified cruiser champ etc etc

[jamesmcdonnell]

Give everyone their 15 quid back and retire....

[alexpaterson]

I want him to follow through with his retirement date, but if he chooses otherwise he still has a lot of options left. He could go for the European against Dimitrenko and then get an eliminator against someone like Stirverne or Thompson. Or he could work hard for his next shot and fight tough contendors like Arreola or Povetkin or Chagaev to earn another a crack. As I say I want him to retire but if he stays I'd prefer him to take the second route and chase the harder fights to get another crack at a Klitschko

[jamesmcdonnell]

I want him to follow through with his retirement date, but if he chooses otherwise he still has a lot of options left. He could go for the European against Dimitrenko and then get an eliminator against someone like Stirverne or Thompson. Or he could work hard for his next shot and fight tough contendors like Arreola or Povetkin or Chagaev to earn another a crack. As I say I want him to retire but if he stays I'd prefer him to take the second route and chase the harder fights to get another crack at a Klitschko

Why is he going to do that, he hardly worked hard for his shot at Wlad did he?

[alexpaterson]

I want him to follow through with his retirement date, but if he chooses otherwise he still has a lot of options left. He could go for the European against Dimitrenko and then get an eliminator against someone like Stirverne or Thompson. Or he could work hard for his next shot and fight tough contendors like Arreola or Povetkin or Chagaev to earn another a crack. As I say I want him to retire but if he stays I'd prefer him to take the second route and chase the harder fights to get another crack at a Klitschko

Why is he going to do that, he hardly worked hard for his shot at Wlad did he?

I know and he blew that so he'll have to work hard for a second shot providing Wlad doesn't give him an instant rematch which I can't see happening!

[T.M.K]

Give everyone their 15 quid back and retire....

Do you know what - I wouldn't be half as pissed-off with Haye if the fight had been free.....

£15 (which I haven't got spare) - but I thought "sod it, I just HAVE to see this!"

SO wish I hadn't bothered (like everyone else I guess).

[jamesmcdonnell]

I want him to follow through with his retirement date, but if he chooses otherwise he still has a lot of options left. He could go for the European against Dimitrenko and then get an eliminator against someone like Stirverne or Thompson. Or he could work hard for his next shot and fight tough contendors like Arreola or Povetkin or Chagaev to earn another a crack. As I say I want him to retire but if he stays I'd prefer him to take the second route and chase the harder fights to get another crack at a Klitschko

Why is he going to do that, he hardly worked hard for his shot at Wlad did he?

I know and he blew that so he'll have to work hard for a second shot providing Wlad doesn't give him an instant rematch which I can't see happening!

I can't see it. If Haye really wanted it that bad, he'd have turned in a decent performance on the night. I get the impression that deep down, he's not that bothered what the public think. He's not even apologised to the people who paid to watch him yet.

If he knew that he had bugger all chance going in, then hyping it beyond belief, and claiming he was the saviour of the division was rather dishonest of him.

[jamesmcdonnell]

I thiink he needs a name to get himself back on the map. I would begin with having him in a match with James Toney. He wins that and he can face Evander Holyfield.
I would then use big box office over here to promote an Oliander Solis match stemming from the amateur loss.
Then Vegas for Arreola for what would probably be a Vacant title at this point.
Next up would be Thomasz Adamek in the Boardwalk
Then he would fight an unbeaten Alexander Povetkin if povetkin hasnt already been defeated. In that case he fights the nearest up and comer such as helenius or mike perez
Then he gets the big one with Wladimir.
Win that and start calling Vitali out of retirement. Bring out a new T-shirt with Wladimirs head already severed and Vitali's head on the guillotine. Haye would of course be standing in the photo as the executioner.
Win or lose this and retire

Why is everyone talking about Holyfield - Holyfield is worse than Ruiz - he's gone.

I'm incredulous that anyone would even dare mention holyfield as an opponent that would REDEEM Haye, for me it would tarnish his resume even farther.

Haye isn't going to get another shot at Wlad or Vitali, more to the point, he hasn't the tools to be the main man in the division even with them gone. There's guys he can beat, but also plenty who will beat him. He was an excellent cruiserweight (but let's face it, never stuck around to dominate), but only a good heavyweight.

[Counter-puncher]

^^^^ james, when he said Toney followed by Holyfield, i assumed he was joking

he was, wasn't he?

[Rocky Balboa]

Fight the Winner of Adamek-Vitali!

[jamesmcdonnell]

^^^^ james, when he said Toney followed by Holyfield, i assumed he was joking

he was, wasn't he?

Sadly I think not?

[jamesmcdonnell]

Fight the Winner of Adamek-Vitali!

And what has Haye done to deserve a shot at the winner precisely?

What mug would pay to watch him dance around all night against Vitali? Vitali is going to win easily against Adamek, it's not even a fair fight. Adamek has done even less at heavyweight than Haye had prior to fighting Wlad.

[Coco]

I'm surprised no one has suggested a Prizefighter appearance yet!

[lefthook82]

Fight Arreola in the US then Dimitrentko or some other giant, then one of the Klits if they are interested

[Bob & Weave]

Join WWE, GTFO of boxing!

Wasteman he is!

[kamicazze]

I wasn't joking no. After all you say Holyfield is gone but he arguably done better against Valuev than haye did. Adamek, Arreola, and povetkin are the ones are good for us. But for a casual fan theyd prefer Holyfield, Toney and Solis because they know the names and in solis case there is a story behind it.

[jamesmcdonnell]

I wasn't joking no. After all you say Holyfield is gone but he arguably done better against Valuev than haye did. Adamek, Arreola, and povetkin are the ones are good for us. But for a casual fan theyd prefer Holyfield, Toney and Solis because they know the names and in solis case there is a story behind it.

Holyfield fought Valuev 4 years ago dude. He looked like absolute crap in his last fight.

You need to follow the sport a bit closer.

[exittored]

with hayes inactivity it could be 2 or maybe 3 years to get through those fights , making him 34 , if he doesnt retire at 31 as he said then can you really see him going on til 34 ?

Exactly he's not suddenly going to start fighting 3/4 times a year so there's no point giving him a whole load of fights.

Also i don't think it's his legacy that needs saving as that's already secure in terms of becoming the ring Cruiserweight champion and holding 1 of the Heavyweight world title belts and i'm sure history will be kinder to him then the present press. It's his reputation shortime that needs to be 'saved' or at least re-established, your only as good as your last performance so he need's to move on from it as quickly as possible and get another fight sorted out before October.

He's best off making his American Debut on HBO in September/October, there's only 2 heavyweights that HBO would be willing to accept which are Chris Arreola and Bermine Stiverne. I'm pretty sure Arreola will be fighting Wladimir next around November at MSG so he will be out of the picture which just leaves Stiverne who is the perfect choice.

Not only is Stiverne beatable(although he is quite possibly the hardest hitting heavyweight around at the moment) but more significantly he is also the holder of the vacant WBC Silver heavyweight title and the official mandatory challenger for the WBC Heavyweight title held by Vitali Klitschko. If Haye was to beat Stiverne then he would become the mandatory challenger himself and get a shot at the WBC belt next year plus not be held ranson to the Klitschko slave contract.

If he was to beat the then 40/41 year old Vitali he could then set up a Rematch with Wlad before October 2012 and find redemption plus retire before he turns 32.

I hope someone from the Haye camp reads this message as this really is the best way forward if David decides to continue.