Haye-Bonin in April
Posted: 23 Feb 2007, 06:00
Perhaps not the opponent we wanted, but it will be an interesting experiment while Macca and Warren have their cake and stuff their faces with it re the WBO cruiser title. When Haye goes up to heavy IMO there's no coming back down. Bonin being an ex Audley victim.
From fightnews
WBC cruiserweight mandatory challenger David Haye (18-1, 17 KOs) will venture into the heavyweight division on April 27 when he meets Poland's WBC #12 Tomasz Bonin (37-1, 20 KOs) in a 12-round non-title affair. The bout will take place at London's Wembley Arena and will act as a stopgap ahead of Haye's impending WBC world title attempt at cruiserweight. "My first choice opponent was obviously Enzo Maccarinelli," said Haye. "Unless I effectively signed my life away, though, it was never a realistic possibility. So, after realising it was never going to happen, I told (promoter) Frank Maloney to get me a WBC world-ranked heavyweight opponent who could help me make a splash at heavyweight. We tried a number of options in the top 15 and Bonin was the one man willing to fight me."
Haye is unmoved by his British rivals at heavyweight.
"The British heavyweights are all involved in some interesting scraps, but where do any of them lead?" Haye asks. "They keep getting told there will be a world title shot at the end of the rainbow, but it never happens. None of them are rated high enough. I don't want to rely on the promise of a promoter to get to the top. I want to make strides by beating the necessary ranked opponents and forcing the issue.
"At cruiserweight I reached the WBC mandatory position without having even challenged for the British title. I've shown that if you aspire to reach the top of your division, there is no reason why you should exchange parts on the domestic scrap heap.
"I'm in line for a WBC cruiserweight title shot because I worked my way up the WBC rankings. I'll do exactly the same at heavyweight. There are a lot of Eastern Europeans at the top of the heavyweight pile, and I feast on Eastern Europeans for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I've never lost to one in 16 years of boxing."
So what can fight fans expect from Haye at heavyweight?
"They will see a fit, healthy and strong heavyweight who hasn't had to starve himself to make weight," says Haye. "Despite what some may think, I won't be just bulking up to heavyweight by lifting heavy weights. That won't do me any good whatsoever. I need to retain speed at heavyweight, as this will be one of my main attributes against bigger opponents. Also, just because I don't have to make weight, doesn't mean I will feast on fast food three times a day.
"I can't cut corners just because I'm boxing at heavyweight. There's a fine line between upright and smiling and flat on your back and unconscious in the heavyweight division. Everything you do at heavyweight is a risk. If Bonin hits me with the same shots Fragomeni did last November, I won't be badly cut, I'll be seeing stars. I'm aware of that."
Haye's bout with Bonin will also mark the Londoner's first appearance at the capital's legendary Wembley Arena since September 2004.
"We're hoping to have around 6,000 fans there on the night, and I can't wait," Haye says. "It was impossible for us to do another successful promotion at York Hall because the demand for tickets is just too great right now. We had to move onwards and upwards to bigger venues and Wembley Arena is just perfect.
"I'm delighted to be able to kick off my assault on the world heavyweight title in London. I'll be looking to fight in Las Vegas one day, so now is a good time to start rolling the dice and taking heavyweight gambles."
From fightnews
WBC cruiserweight mandatory challenger David Haye (18-1, 17 KOs) will venture into the heavyweight division on April 27 when he meets Poland's WBC #12 Tomasz Bonin (37-1, 20 KOs) in a 12-round non-title affair. The bout will take place at London's Wembley Arena and will act as a stopgap ahead of Haye's impending WBC world title attempt at cruiserweight. "My first choice opponent was obviously Enzo Maccarinelli," said Haye. "Unless I effectively signed my life away, though, it was never a realistic possibility. So, after realising it was never going to happen, I told (promoter) Frank Maloney to get me a WBC world-ranked heavyweight opponent who could help me make a splash at heavyweight. We tried a number of options in the top 15 and Bonin was the one man willing to fight me."
Haye is unmoved by his British rivals at heavyweight.
"The British heavyweights are all involved in some interesting scraps, but where do any of them lead?" Haye asks. "They keep getting told there will be a world title shot at the end of the rainbow, but it never happens. None of them are rated high enough. I don't want to rely on the promise of a promoter to get to the top. I want to make strides by beating the necessary ranked opponents and forcing the issue.
"At cruiserweight I reached the WBC mandatory position without having even challenged for the British title. I've shown that if you aspire to reach the top of your division, there is no reason why you should exchange parts on the domestic scrap heap.
"I'm in line for a WBC cruiserweight title shot because I worked my way up the WBC rankings. I'll do exactly the same at heavyweight. There are a lot of Eastern Europeans at the top of the heavyweight pile, and I feast on Eastern Europeans for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I've never lost to one in 16 years of boxing."
So what can fight fans expect from Haye at heavyweight?
"They will see a fit, healthy and strong heavyweight who hasn't had to starve himself to make weight," says Haye. "Despite what some may think, I won't be just bulking up to heavyweight by lifting heavy weights. That won't do me any good whatsoever. I need to retain speed at heavyweight, as this will be one of my main attributes against bigger opponents. Also, just because I don't have to make weight, doesn't mean I will feast on fast food three times a day.
"I can't cut corners just because I'm boxing at heavyweight. There's a fine line between upright and smiling and flat on your back and unconscious in the heavyweight division. Everything you do at heavyweight is a risk. If Bonin hits me with the same shots Fragomeni did last November, I won't be badly cut, I'll be seeing stars. I'm aware of that."
Haye's bout with Bonin will also mark the Londoner's first appearance at the capital's legendary Wembley Arena since September 2004.
"We're hoping to have around 6,000 fans there on the night, and I can't wait," Haye says. "It was impossible for us to do another successful promotion at York Hall because the demand for tickets is just too great right now. We had to move onwards and upwards to bigger venues and Wembley Arena is just perfect.
"I'm delighted to be able to kick off my assault on the world heavyweight title in London. I'll be looking to fight in Las Vegas one day, so now is a good time to start rolling the dice and taking heavyweight gambles."