by James Slater – Photo © Pavel “Eagle eye” Terehov – David Haye is already planning his crack team for his scheduled June mega-fight with WBC heavyweight boss Vitali Klitschko. Coming on board to assist “The Hayemaker” will be none other than former three-time heavyweight champion of the world, Lennox Lewis. Haye believes the former champ who, of course, met and defeated “Dr. Iron Fist” in a very exciting fight back in 2003, will be the man to help him to victory next summer.
Lewis, now a successful commentator, has been in the news himself lately, what with the persistent rumours going around saying he would make a shocking return to the ring. The 43-year-old has now quashed any such talk, but is definitely interested in helping his friend train for his own big fight..
Talking to The Sun newspaper, Haye told of the plans to have Lennox help get him ready to make his dream come true.
“I’m really good friends with Lennox,” Haye said. “He has worked with me in the gym before, he has seen me sparring, he knows I am the real deal. I will definitely bring him onboard in an advisory role. He’s fought Vitali, he knows what works and what doesn’t. If there’s anyone to give me advice about strategy, it’s Lennox.
“Maybe I’ll go to the States where he is based. I’ve got six months, a long build-up to the fight, so why not? I have said from day one I am going to be the undisputed cruiserweight and heavyweight champion.”
We all know how Lewis, coming to the end of a great career, struggled mightily with Vitali Klitschko, but Haye is still right when he says there is no-one better to train him for the big Ukrainian. Lewis, then pushing 40-years-of-age, was unable to do the things he could do in the ring as a younger man. Perhaps now he will give the peaking David Haye the game-plan he himself would have adapted had he been in HIS prime when he met Vitali.
Plenty of movement and in-and-out punching from differing angles is what most experts think will give Haye his best chance at getting himself a win, and in his prime Lewis was both fast and punched from angles.
Haye could also do with tightening up his defence, and it is to be hoped Lewis can help him with that. Though many people feel the 28-year-old should have had at least one more test at heavyweight before going for someone as formidable as the 37-year-old Klitschko, there is no denying Haye will cut no corners in training camp for the big one. Bringing in Lennox, one of the greatest heavyweights of all-time, was one smart move, as opposed to a mere news story.
Maybe Lewis will even be in Haye’s corner next year, too.