BoxRec

So how do we think "The Hayemaker" would fare if he was around in the 80s?

Lets say he starts his career on 1st January 1980 and retires December 31st 1989. How would he do and how far would he go?

In this topic of conversation, there comes to mind quite a few interesting fights:

Haye vs Berbick
Haye vs Tubbs
Haye vs Tucker
Haye vs Thomas
Haye vs Page

Would've been very interesting I reckon.

sorry i can not see haye winning any of these fights

haye has a terrible resume at heavyweight

If hed been forced to ply his trade in the 80s at HW Haye would undoubtedly have turned out a much better fighter than he did in the 2000s-2010's as he would not have had the escape clause of cheap celebrity and easy paydays in a weak division crying out for a false messiah........no haye would have had to fight to earn his glory.

on talent and size he would fit into the 80s scene and i beleive he is more consistent and if he caught many of the names above on a inconsistent day he wallops them.

Berbick over 15 would be hard fought, Thomas probably beats him, but he has the beating of tubbs and page as they were that damn inconsistent

I'd pick him over Tubbs, Page and Berbick. If he ever ran into Witherspoon on a motivated night he'd go to sleep like Wlad promised to do to him. No shame there, Tim would ice Wlad too.

It would have been interesting, but that was an era so tough to rank. I can't see Haye beating a prime Dokes or Coetzee or Witherspoon. The rest I would still give the edge to. The only man out of all of them I could maybe see Haye beating of the alphabet champions was Berbick or Tate.

SaadOffTheDeck wrote:I'd pick him over Tubbs, Page and Berbick. If he ever ran into Witherspoon on a motivated night he'd go to sleep like Wlad promised to do to him. No shame there, Tim would ice Wlad too.

i personally feel witherspoon is one of the most under rated heavyweights of all time

MEISINGER wrote:

SaadOffTheDeck wrote:I'd pick him over Tubbs, Page and Berbick. If he ever ran into Witherspoon on a motivated night he'd go to sleep like Wlad promised to do to him. No shame there, Tim would ice Wlad too.

i personally feel witherspoon is one of the most under rated heavyweights of all time

He's one of my favorites in mythical matchups where the assumption is both guys at their best. I think he would have given Ali hell.

Greg Page fanboys, step up. We can take this thread to school.

mugabi wrote:If hed been forced to ply his trade in the 80s at HW Haye would undoubtedly have turned out a much better fighter than he did in the 2000s-2010's as he would not have had the escape clause of cheap celebrity and easy paydays in a weak division crying out for a false messiah........no haye would have had to fight to earn his glory.

on talent and size he would fit into the 80s scene and i beleive he is more consistent and if he caught many of the names above on a inconsistent day he wallops them.

Berbick over 15 would be hard fought, Thomas probably beats him, but he has the beating of tubbs and page as they were that damn inconsistent

David Haye hijacks a Larry Holmes presser, wearing a t-shirt depicting himself decapitating Larry.
I can't see Mr Holmes bitching about the trauma caused to family members by said garment. I see a different reaction altogether.

SaadOffTheDeck wrote:

MEISINGER wrote:

SaadOffTheDeck wrote:I'd pick him over Tubbs, Page and Berbick. If he ever ran into Witherspoon on a motivated night he'd go to sleep like Wlad promised to do to him. No shame there, Tim would ice Wlad too.

i personally feel witherspoon is one of the most under rated heavyweights of all time

He's one of my favorites in mythical matchups where the assumption is both guys at their best. I think he would have given Ali hell.

Ali always had trouble with big physically strong guys...I can definitely see where Witherspoon would be a handful for him.

Tim was one of my Favs n imo on his best nite he gives probs to anyone. I think he had the best overhand right in heavyweight history

scallum wrote:Tim was one of my Favs n imo on his best nite he gives probs to anyone. I think he had the best overhand right in heavyweight history

after lennox

Haye would do well.

The size difference wouldn’t be such an issue as it is for him today. Also, Haye is always in shape and focused.

If you’re going to run down a list of 80s fighters prime-for-prime then Haye might not do great. But considering how 80% of the time these guys were fat and to busy thinking about their next visit from Uncle Charlie I can see him doing well.

Don’t think he’d have fancied 15 rounds though.

Haye would come out of the decade as one of the better fighters of the 80s. I’d only put Holmes, Tyson and Witherspoon as definitely above him. Thomas and Dokes on their nights…but how often did they have their nights?

Haye would get tagged and stopped a couple of times too. I’d love to have seen shoot outs with Bruno and Weaver.

SaadOffTheDeck wrote:

MEISINGER wrote:

SaadOffTheDeck wrote:I'd pick him over Tubbs, Page and Berbick. If he ever ran into Witherspoon on a motivated night he'd go to sleep like Wlad promised to do to him. No shame there, Tim would ice Wlad too.

i personally feel witherspoon is one of the most under rated heavyweights of all time

He's one of my favorites in mythical matchups where the assumption is both guys at their best. I think he would have given Ali hell.

for me, too, although in my case that's pretty much entirely on the basis of the Holmes fights.

Witherspoon would blitz Haye, he was one of the more consistent inconsistent 80s fighters.

I think anyone else with some speed and a jab would cause him tremendous problems too, but I think you'd need a decent chin to stand a chance of taking it beyond 7 or 8 rounds.

I actually think that Haye would do well in the 80s, he would've definitely won a World title somewhere down the line. Though I don't give him much chance against the Mike Tyson who arrived towards the end of the decade.

Crease wrote:I actually think that Haye would do well in the 80s, he would've definitely won a World title somewhere down the line. Though I don't give him much chance against the Mike Tyson who arrived towards the end of the decade.

Tyson who arrived on the scene would have iced Haye in the first! Imagine that left hook or tight uppercut connecting - oh Christ!!!

Rocky Balboa wrote:

Crease wrote:I actually think that Haye would do well in the 80s, he would've definitely won a World title somewhere down the line. Though I don't give him much chance against the Mike Tyson who arrived towards the end of the decade.

Tyson who arrived on the scene would have iced Haye in the first! Imagine that left hook or tight uppercut connecting - oh Christ!!!

It would have taken longer than that. Contrary to popular belief, Haye has no fear. He'd move around too much for a one round icing, but I'd bet he'd be done by the fifth. His lack of a jab would ruin him here. Tyson had an iron chin.

SaadOffTheDeck wrote:

Rocky Balboa wrote:

Crease wrote:I actually think that Haye would do well in the 80s, he would've definitely won a World title somewhere down the line. Though I don't give him much chance against the Mike Tyson who arrived towards the end of the decade.

Tyson who arrived on the scene would have iced Haye in the first! Imagine that left hook or tight uppercut connecting - oh Christ!!!

It would have taken longer than that. Contrary to popular belief, Haye has no fear. He'd move around too much for a one round icing, but I'd bet he'd be done by the fifth. His lack of a jab would ruin him here. Tyson had an iron chin.

Tyrell Biggs was a better mover than Haye & by the second round Tyson's body shot effectively made him a stationary target.

If Tyson could KO Berbick, who was much more durable than Haye, I'd say Haye would be gone in one. Tyson would be too fast

Tyrell Biggs lasted seven rounds. It's a pointless argument, but LOL that Haye is definitively done in 1 round. It's not a guarantee like Holyfield beating Tyson every time they fight.

Rocky Balboa wrote:
Tyrell Biggs was a better mover than Haye & by the second round Tyson's body shot effectively made him a stationary target.

If Tyson could KO Berbick, who was much more durable than Haye, I'd say Haye would be gone in one. Tyson would be too fast

I can't see Haye beating Tyson in any scenario but I think he would do better than people give him credit for. Let's no forget that Biggs was a 15 fight novice, and by all accounts had a serious drug problem even at that stage. Hayes chin is also not as bad as some people think and Haye also has the power to hurt anyone if he connects. Saying that I can't see Haye lasting more than 5.

witherspoon wrote:Greg Page fanboys, step up. We can take this thread to school.

noted .I honestly feel Greg would whup David's ass.It would probably end about the fourth, or fifth round.If this is the prime Greg, he'd have too much power, minimum just as fast, and that solid chin, not that David would hurt him.Tubbs and Tucker would outbox him, Witherspoon would also stop him in the mid-rounds, and Berbick could maul him to death if he was on point.But I think about what S.T Gordon did to Berbick, and I could see him winning a good decision over Trevor by just outworking him.

SaadOffTheDeck wrote:I'd pick him over Tubbs, Page and Berbick. If he ever ran into Witherspoon on a motivated night he'd go to sleep like Wlad promised to do to him. No shame there, Tim would ice Wlad too.

I'm not sure I'd pick him to beat any of them, especially Berbick, whose strength, athleticism and pressure style with excellent conditioning would've worn Haye down. Page and Tubbs could have their off-nights so its conceivable that Haye could win, but Page was a far more skilled boxer, and Tubbs would likely outwork David. He'd probably outlast Coatzee.

I think throwing Haye in the 80s would help cement how weak today's era is. For starters, he'd STILL be smaller than the majority of top guys. Haye is a shade under 6'3 and if he didn't force-feed himself would drop below 200 lbs. Guys like Witherspoon and Berbick were solid 215-220 lb guys when in great shape, true natural heavyweights.
Haye's lack of a big work-rate(including lacking any consistent jab), plus questionable stamina and durability would see him with lots of issues.