By James Slater: If I didn’t know any better I’d think David Haye was trying to trash-talk his way into a second shot at a Klitschko! Far from feeling humbled due to the heavy points defeat he suffered against Wladimir Klitschko on July 2nd, Haye has STEPPED UP his trash-talking approach, this time in an effort at getting WBC king Vitali into the ring.
Wladimir managed to remain cool for the most part whenever Haye launched a verbal tirade in his direction, but “Dr. Steel Hammer” desperately wanted to teach Haye a lesson all the same, and, hey presto, “The Hayemaker” was granted his biggest payday ever. Now, with the more aggressive, more spiteful “Dr. Iron Fist” his target, Haye seems intent on getting another big opportunity.
Speaking with German paper Die Welt recently, the Londoner who briefly held the WBA heavyweight belt had nothing but nasty words for the 40-year-old who has just seen off a brave challenger in Tomasz Adamek.
“I’ll knock him out, I’ll smash his jaw,” Haye said when speaking of Vitali. “I’ll fight you, if you are man enough. It doesn’t matter to me where I fight you, I’ll fight you on the moon.”
Vitali, as Haye knows only too well, took the insults that were hurled at the Klitschko name far harder than did his younger brother, the now infamous decapitated heads T-shirts really upsetting him, and ever since then Vitali has had a strong urge to make Haye pay. Now, with Haye cranking up the taunts, the WBC champ is almost sure to bite. But who will live to regret it if this does happen and if Vitali agrees to face Haye? Has Haye any real chance of restoring his reputation by shocking the man ten years his senior?
Boxing pundit Steve Bunce recently wrote a piece in which he said Vitali showed signs of wear and tear and of feeling his age in the Adamek win, and that Haye should take the fight now. But ask most fight fans (on this web site especially), and you’ll find only a few people willing to give Haye a realistic chance of beating the iron-chinned brother. Haye, however, insists he will “smash” Vitali, claiming he hits harder than both brothers.
“Vitali has indeed got more balls [than Wladimir], but he is also a scared rabbit,” he stated. “I can hit harder than the two brothers put together. I am also faster, more agile and can hit much, much harder. He has my contact details. I am waiting for him.”
Does Haye really believe he hits harder than BOTH brothers put together? When has Haye shown such power? Certainly not against Wladimir or Nicolai Valuev, how two biggest fights as a heavyweight. Haye has speed, yes, but it didn’t help him back on July 2nd – why should we believe it will help him in a fight with Vitali?
The fight has a good chance of happening, because there are precious few name contenders at heavyweight today. And with the way he is talking, Haye will see to it that Vitali comes out aggressively, looking to score his 41st KO. But will “The Hayemaker” make a real fight of it this time, or will he adopt the same limp tactics he used back on July 2nd?