by James Slater: He’s only boxed at heavyweight once, but David “Hayemaker” Haye is without question the man with the best chance of restoring some fulltime excitement and prestige to the division. Looking a million dollars last Saturday in destroying Enzo Maccarinelli, Haye now plans on re-invading the heavyweights, and soon. After giving himself time to put back on the muscle weight he dropped so as to make cruiser one last time, Haye will be back in around six months time, against a decent name. Then, in 2009, Haye will challenge for one of, if not all of, the heavyweight belts..
Not since the days of Mike Tyson, Riddick Bowe and Lennox Lewis have we had such an exciting and promising heavyweight contender. Haye seemingly has it all; awesome power, speed, athleticism and a genuine desire to fight the very best. The only possible weakness David has, in his suspect chin, even adds to the drama and appeal when he fights. You simply cannot afford to avert your eyes for a single moment when Haye is in action, if you do you might miss he or his opponent going down – more than likely the latter.
Haye isn’t like other former cruiserweights who moved up to heavyweight. The 27-year-old is actually a genuine heavyweight, who has been coming down to cruiser, not a cruiser going up to heavy. As proven in his one appearance at the weight – the one round destruction of the decent Tomasz Bonin last April – Haye carries both his speed and punching power just as effectively, if not more so, at heavyweight as he does (or did) at cruiserweight. Weighing-in at a solid 217 pounds for the Bonin fight, Haye looked stronger, more powerful and just as fast as he did at 200 pounds. There is little doubt, Haye is the only possibility for an exciting and dominant force at heavyweight.
It won’t be easy conquering all the current title holders. David himself admits the road ahead will be a “rocky one.” There will always be the chance that Haye will wind up being hit and hurt by any one of the top big guys, but that is part of the appeal. Once more, and at long last, we will finally have some genuinely thrilling times in the heavyweight division. The action will surely come thick and fast from Haye in the coming months. Imagine he and the likes of Wladimir Klitschko, Ruslan Chagaev Samuel Peter and co. getting it on! Would you pick against “The Hayemaker” in any such fights?
With Haye’s proven speed and power, along with his desire and instinct to take out any man he fights, how would the overly cautious IBF and WBO king approach such a fight? There would be the distinct possibility, should the two men meet, of Haye marching straight in and blowing away a negative and intimidated Klitschko. Going too far? Sure, it might be a case of this writer getting a little carried away after waiting so long for a 100% exciting heavyweight and at last getting one, but I do think it’s possible it could be Wladimir Klitschko that gets carried away if and when he enters a ring with a man possessing the raw, genetic power that Haye holds.
How about a Haye-Peter clash? That fight could well be an absolute classic. Both guys would come out throwing absolute bombs, and a Hagler-Hearns type of war could very easily unfold. Oh, the mouth-watering images one can foresee simply by thinking about Haye’s heavyweight future. I have little doubt Haye will capture at least one version of the heavyweight championship, if not more. But will there be the chance that some fighters will seek to avoid Haye? Let’s hope not, for some great times are ahead for fans of heavyweight boxing when Haye makes his move back to what he considers his natural weight class.
Having all the necessary ingredients to become a true boxing superstar, as many writers have already stated, the man with the 21-1(20) record is, to this writer’s thinking, the saviour of a heavyweight division that has been devoid of palpable action for way too long.
Welcome back to the weight division that is your true calling, David Haye. And roll on your next fight!