By Steve Brooks: British heavyweight David Haye (22-1, 21 KOs) plans on fighting in September regardless of whether he lands a fight with either of the Klitschko brothers, according to news reports. Currently, Haye is one of three options for World Boxing Council heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko, who plans on fighting also in September. Should Vitali opt to fight someone else (he’s looking at Chris Arreola and WBA heavyweight champion Nikolay Valuev as potential opponents), Haye will be selecting another opponent to fight in September. Haye’s manager, Adam Booth has other options in mind besides the Klitschko brothers..
One would hope that it would involve Haye fighting a top 10, preferably a top five opponent rather than a 2nd tier heavyweight. A shot against IBF/WBO heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko seems all but impossible as of now, as Wladimir has a commitment to fight IBF number #1 mandatory challenger Alexander Povetkin next later on this year.
Wladimir also wants Haye to have to earn his shot at his title by working his way into position to become his mandatory challenger. This may be fueled in part because of Wladimir’s annoyance with Haye’s cancellation for their June 20th bout after Haye bowed out suddenly with a back injury just weeks before the fight.
Vitali Klitschko may end up fighting Haye next, because arranging a fight with Valuev may not be possible and a fight with Arreola probably wouldn’t be as popular as a bout with Haye.
If Haye doesn’t get the match with Vitali, then an opponent like Samuel Peter, Kevin Johnson or Lamon Brewster would be ideal for him. Haye would get a lot of respect if he could get by any of these fighters, but it would be asking a lot of him. Brewster and Peter are big punchers with solid chins and Haye would have to protect his sometimes fragile chin if he hopes to get past them.
Field Stops Firtha
6’8” heavyweight Tye Fields (42-2, 38 KOs) got back on the winning track on Saturday night, beating Nicolai Firtha (16-6-1, 7 KOs) by a 6th round TKO at the River Cree Resort and Casino, in Alberta, Canada, to claim the vacant Native American Boxing Council heavyweight title.
Fields, 34, was coming off a year layoff since being flattened in the 1st round by Monte Barrett last year in June. Firtha, 30, was much less dangerous than Barrett, and was battered continuously for five rounds until the 6th when the southpaw Fields put him down with a left to the head.
Fields also dropped Firtha in the 5th with another big left hand. Where Fields goes from here is unclear. If he hopes to be a heavyweight contender someday, he’s going to have to be matched against better opposition than Firtha and a lot of the other opponents that litter Fields’ resume.
The problem is Fields has been knocked out twice in the first round when stepping it up against better opposition. He’ll have to learn how to protect himself a little better if he wants to get to the next level in his career. At 34, Fields is obviously running out of time with his career and needs to make a move soon.