David Haye is set to continue his comeback on May 21st, against TBA, and the former WBA heavyweight ruler has been speaking with Sky Sports about possible fights – or specifically one fight – for the future. Haye, even his harshest critics must admit, is exciting to watch, and he says he wants to give fans the fights they want to see.
High up on this list of fan-friendly fights is, in Haye’s opinion (and the opinion of many others) an all-British showdown between he and the unbeaten and highly touted Anthony Joshua. There had been talk of this fight taking place even before Haye ended his three and-a-half year layoff with a brutally quick demolition of the overmatched Mark de Mori. And Haye says Joshua should take the fight, and that even if he loses, he can come again and re-build.
“I’ve said from the start I will do what I need to do, in terms of getting in line and working my way up the rankings if I’m not voluntarily given the chance to fight for a world title,” Haye told Sky Sports News HQ. “This year, next year – I’m easy, all I want is a fight the fans want to see. A lot of people have been mentioning myself and Anthony Joshua, and he’s a guy on the up, coming off his win over Dillian Whyte. He obviously wants to wait a little while to get some more world-class experience, which is understandable. As soon as he feels ready, I am ready. I’ve won 25 of my 27 fights by knockout, and I’ve knocked a lot of good fighters out. Anthony Joshua – I believe I’ll knock him out and I’d like the opportunity to do that. Mark de Mori made one mistake and he was unconscious for five minutes. If Anthony Joshua makes a mistake he’ll be unconscious for five minutes.”
Would it be a mistake for “A.J,” seemingly the most called-out young heavyweight fighting at the present time, to agree to fight Haye this year? Haye says he doesn’t necessarily think it would be too bad a thing for Joshua to lose to him, pointing out how he himself lost his 11th pro fight (to Carl Thompson down at cruiserweight) and was able to come back and re-build. But does Joshua want to risk even one defeat? Both Joshua and Haye are in the search for world titles and there is a possibility they will bypass one another until one of them has claimed a belt – and there are a few to go after right now, with Tyson Fury, Charles Martin, Deontay Wilder, Luis Ortiz and Ruslan Chagaev all holding titles.
But money talks and a Haye Vs. Joshua clash would do huge business in the UK; either this year or next year. Haye has always been a good businessman and this, combined with Joshua’s high rankings in the various alphabet organisations, may make the fight one “The Hayemaker” simply cannot wait to get made. Haye says he feels Joshua, right now, would likely enter the ring against him as the underdog. Most fans will likely agree with that, but not too many fans seem to agree on what the likely outcome will be if and when these two British stars get it on.
Meanwhile, both Joshua and Haye continue to search for their next opponent – with Joshua set to fight at The O2 in London on April 9th and Haye set to box there on May 21st.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mVVPbkoSRVo