by Phenyo Molefe (phenyom@yahoo.co.uk): “How dare these boxers challenge me with their primitive skills? It makes me angry. They’re just as good as dead.” Mike Tyson uttered these words in a period when he commanded fear in hearts of champions and grown men he was supposed to fear. WBA heavyweight champion David Haye has not held his tongue unleashing torrents of abuse and violence against the Klitschkos. Many will cast his approach as being uncouth and rugged but it has undeniably ushered fire in division which has been left dormant for years, his efforts have brought us July 2nd an awakening of hell’s gates.
At long last the heavy weight division has been set alight against a backdrop of what has brought forth colder seasons. It has brought upon a combustible atmosphere as we dip into the belly of a furnace we have so dearly prayed for. Wladimir Klitschko vs. David Haye. Neither man will walk away untouched by the night’s events for this is a fight to be remembered, how so will depend on the architects within the ring.
The hopes of boxing’s heavy weight division lie resting feverishly in wait to allow the fight to take form. Stand firm and make no mistake this fight begun long before its date was sealed. David Haye has been barking at Wladimir’s heels long before his notable tenure in the cruiserweight division was concluded. He sought out the biggest man warning him of the coming of a king, warning him of the unforgiving blows which will be launched.
Fight fans are not merely satisfied with winning, it is the manner in which it is achieved which holds true with them and the legacies which we will all remember. Wladimir’s is often time not afforded the praise he deserves and that which is afforded to a highly decorated champion. Boxing exherts itself beyond merely winning; the crowds demand to be entertained, to see their dreams, egos and efforts articulated in the bouts they see. They will embrace a champion who speaks for them, their struggles and hopes.
Wladimir’s cautious and often time cerebral approach has been found lacking but I make no mistake in doubting his abilities. His stellar record has not been one constructed by default but speaks of his great standing and ability. In trying to preserve his winning streak he has adopted an approach which has failed to draw to the spirits of those who grant the praise and the immortality which record books alone cannot hold.
David has presented something which has been lacking, a being ready and able to capture the glory the heavyweight division grants to those who stand upon its throne. No other fighter in Wladimir’s tenure has challenged him as much as what David’s potential promises to unleash.
A lot has been sung about Wladimir’s record and the attributes which have given him the established base he possess today. However I believe that David’s own ability has been overlooked by pundits questioning his weight in a division where he stands out scaled by most- such beliefs ignore the attributes he brings forth.
Like many others, I do not know what strategy Haye will employ in his arsenal against Wladimir’s own arsenal. On the overall and assuming the uniform routine, we know how Wladimir is going to execute his game plan. A strategy which has worked for him timelessly in building his record and in pursuit of his goal. Rarely if ever has Wladimir unleashed a reckless fury upon his adversary at the onset. The element of mystery here tonight rests in David Haye’s approach. I would like to see David vary his approach in the barrage he will unleash; switching between boxing and brawling. Wladimir is not merely going to be outdone by an approach lacking in variety. Merely gearing forward in ill found attempts to outmuscle him is a strategy which has never worked against what he presents.
David has superb speed, power and skill; he has to employ a multidimensional script varying the contribution of each component dependent on Wladimir approach and the rounds in question. David’s conditioning will work in his favour if he can exploit it to produce an unmatched work rate leaving the bigger man frustrated and chasing for points and opportunities. It is when frustration becomes overwhelming that Wladimir will deviate from strategies which have always worked for him and deemed him protected.
If there is any fighter out there with the ability to out-think and out-hustle Wladimir it is David, he possesses the poison pill which could see the Klitschkos’ domination concluded. He has refused to bow to some unreasonable demands, refused to play the role of a man in awe and fear of the champion before him. He is propelled by the furnace within a fire we may see bark out and ravage his foes and those who stand before him.
July 2nd is here and so too are the gates which threaten to break out upon the heavyweight division and grant us a revival.