By Damian “andyZOR” Markut – With upcoming heavyweight fights featuring Denis Boytsov vs. Jason Gaven, Tomasz Adamek vs. Andrzej Golota, and Martin Rogan vs. Sam Sexton, the fight with Nicolay Valuev vs. David Haye seems to be the most interesting and most intriguing fight. Well, on paper at least right?
But i sure find it interesting..
Nicolay Valuev is a 7 foot, 300 plus pound grizzly bear from St. Petersburg, Russia, with a marketable, and really good record of 50-1 with 34 wins coming by knockout. In actuality, he most likley just stepped on his first 15 opponents. But don’t be mistaking, Valuev is no bum nor a bad boxer really.
People seem to think that size alone can pretty much win you a belt and win a fight. Thats not true at all, if so, Tye Fields, who almost as tall as Valuev, would be a champ. He actually stepped on his first 17 opponents, before meeting the mighty Jeff Ford, who had a whopping 2-0 record at the time.
Despite the Holyfield fight, who in my opinion wasn’t really Valuev in there, he has good names on his record with Barret, Ruiz, Lyakhovich, Donald…
What im trying to say is, Valuev is really good despite and in favor of his size and the criticize of the Holyfield fight. This fight shouldnt be picked based on size 100% and that incident that occurred in Switzerland…
But in this case it will most likley be a factor. Why?
Well first of all, David Haye, was a cruiserweight his whole career, and his tallest opponent to date was most likley Monte Barret, who was pretty much a Valuev leftover at that point in his career.And he did stuggle a bit and didn’t impress as we all thought he would. A good win tho but not a solid victory as what he has shown before in Cruiserweight.
And even in Cruiserweight he had troubles vs. Carl Thompson and got knocked down in several other fights as well, including his win over a very shot Jean Marc Mormeck.
What im saying is, how is he going to handle a man whos a foot taller that most of Hayes opponents? How is he going to take a punch from a 320 pound man whos a veteran of the game, when he got KD vs former Light Heavyweights? How do you stop his reach advantage and on top of the cake, how are you going to regain your strength when a 320 pound man is clinching you, being Haye showed stamina problems in his career. This might or not be a factor, but still, when you look at the facts, Haye is in for a rough ride, and it might even be worse being in Valuevs case.
Valuev is a quiet guy who listens to classical music like Mozart and Chopin in his free time, but when the bear is out looking for his feast, he will turn you into a pancake before fight time. Valuev was charged years ago in Russia for assaulting a Police Officer for messing with his wife. Whoever that man was, he was either a idiot or a brave son of a bit–. Unlike the Klitschkos, who are, or maybe one of them I forget at this point, have a docters degree, these guys are gentlemen and wouldn’t mind the anger and just show it only in the ring. Valuev is really nobody to fuck with, heh.
But what im really trying to say here, is Valuev is going to be a more aggressive this fight like in the Lyakhovich and Barrett fights, unlike the Holyfield fight. Especially if Haye is going to insult the man even more.
The point is this, Haye is still a unproven factor in this division, and after a year off hes only fought 1 decent HW. The factor between that Barret that fought Haye and Valuev right now is huge. Especially since you dont have much experience with taller guys. Much taller guys in this the Valuev case.
Who am I picking?
I pick Nicolay Valuev to win in the 10th round by way of TKO.
Valuev is to big and to smart to get beaten by Haye. Haye could get a UD, but when you have all these facts against you, its possible but not expremly likley. Haye is probably the slight favorite, but Valuev will prevail.
Haye will start out defensively like Holyfield did, and Valuev will try to be the agresser this time, if he knows whats good for him, and try to exhaust the smaller man Haye with his hard jabs and rough clinches. Valuev will use his size to his great advantage. This will exhaust Haye and slow him down while Valuev will jab, stick, clinch, repeat.
By the 8th 9th and 10th rounds i feel Haye will be out of the fight with Valuev seeing a opening and unleashing a hard right and flooring/TKOing David Haye!
Andy’s Betting Bonus:
I wouldn’t bother betting on Haye to be honest. Hes the favorite with 1,43…and thats not a risk im really willing to take and neither should you, even the hardcore Haye fans cause you might be in a dissapointment. Valuev on the other hand has a pretty good odd with 2,40. Take into mind Valuev is the champion as well and the advantages he has. The fight is also in Germany (wink wink ;] )
Valuev to win
55$ to win 100$