David Haye's next opponent will be.....

[GBJ]

...Audley Harrison by all accounts. The announcement is due this week, (possibly tomorrow). After failing to agree terms with either of the Klitschko's, and with a lack of decent opponents, it's now looking set that it will be Harrison, who currently holds The European Heavyweight Title.

Quick prediciton - Ok, Haye has a questionable jaw, but Harrison should be no major stumbling block. Haye's fitness, speed and power should prove too much for "A-Force". Haye wins by TKO in the 7th

 

[MrB]

From what I can see, a fight with either Klitschko seems to have fallen through as Haye won't back down on taking a lower percentage of the purse. Surely if he wants to be the top dog it would be better to bite the bullet and take the lower cut, get another title or two on board and then he'd be the one in the stronger negotiating position and can take what purse he wants in future fights. Suggests to me that Haye isn't confident he can beat them and wants as big a payday as possible for trying.

Be interesting to see if he sets up a fight with Holyfield after this.

 

[EastStandBlue]

This has been on the cards for some time, as Haye allegedly feels he needs another few fights to acclimatise himself to the HW division before knocking on Klitschko's door. It's a fight I both agree and disagree with... It's one purely for the British public, and he'll no doubt sell-out the o2 arena if it's held there and one that will engage him with the public more than his previous fights.

However, Fraudley's a mope. The ultimate waster of boxing who's never produced anything close to the hype. His last fight, which he claimed would be his last in the result of a loss, was one of the most shameful winning performances I've seen from a boxer. Yes, it was a good punch to floor the lad, but he done absolutely nothing to warrant it in the eleven rounds and two minute prior.

It's a lose/lose situation for Haye... He wins, he's expected to. He loses, and any aspirations he had of fighting top drawer opponents vanish as the public would almost certainly lose interest in a boxer who can't even beat washed-up no-marks. Given how innocuous this fight is, I now expect him to fight Old Man Holyfield in Vegas early next year.

I really don't know what's going on with Haye at the moment... He wants 50% of any Klitschko fight, but he isn't doing enough to warrant it. He's still a relative unknown to the lucrative US market and needs to be fighting actual contenders in order to warrant half of the proceeds. His complete unwillingness to take 40%, which would still be more than his purse to date I'd imagine, leads me to believe that, deep down, he knows he just isn't ready for either of the Brothers Bore.

 

[GBJ]

Haye's mouth has written cheques his arse can't cash. Nut up, or shut up IMO.

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

This has been on the cards for some time, as Haye allegedly feels he needs another few fights to acclimatise himself to the HW division before knocking on Klitschko's door. It's a fight I both agree and disagree with... It's one purely for the British public, and he'll no doubt sell-out the o2 arena if it's held there and one that will engage him with the public more than his previous fights.

However, Fraudley's a mope. The ultimate waster of boxing who's never produced anything close to the hype. His last fight, which he claimed would be his last in the result of a loss, was one of the most shameful winning performances I've seen from a boxer. Yes, it was a good punch to floor the lad, but he done absolutely nothing to warrant it in the eleven rounds and two minute prior.

It's a lose/lose situation for Haye... He wins, he's expected to. He loses, and any aspirations he had of fighting top drawer opponents vanish as the public would almost certainly lose interest in a boxer who can't even beat washed-up no-marks. Given how innocuous this fight is, I now expect him to fight Old Man Holyfield in Vegas early next year.

I really don't know what's going on with Haye at the moment... He wants 50% of any Klitschko fight, but he isn't doing enough to warrant it. He's still a relative unknown to the lucrative US market and needs to be fighting actual contenders in order to warrant half of the proceeds. His complete unwillingness to take 40%, which would still be more than his purse to date I'd imagine, leads me to believe that, deep down, he knows he just isn't ready for either of the Brothers Bore.

Any names in particular?

 

[EastStandBlue]

Any names in particular?

I would've actually liked him to fight Samuel Peter, who's fighting Vlad Klitschko this weekend, or someone like Adamek who has a history of knocking HW's out, although I fully get your point about there being a complete lack of HW boxers with credentials at the moment.

The Yank who fought Vlad earlier this year, who's name escapes me at the moment, would've also been a good fight, and a good prospect to get his name out within the US and given him the foundation to actually command 50% of a Klitschko purse.

 

[GBJ]

Any names in particular?

Fair point. At this point in time, there is actually no-one that can draw a big crowd. The HW division is dead.

 

[GBJ]

I would've actually liked him to fight Samuel Peter, who's fighting Vlad Klitschko this weekend, or someone like Adamek who has a history of knocking HW's out, although I fully get your point about their being a complete lack of HW boxers with credentials at the moment.

The Yank who fought Vlad earlier this year, who's name escapes me at the moment, would've also been a good fight, and a good prospect to get his name out within the US and given him the foundation to actually command 50% of a Klitschko purse.

Frank Warren seems to reckon the winner of Sam Sexton & Derreck Chisora will go on to be a HW champ. Be interesting to pit the winner against Haye

 

[EastStandBlue]

Frank Warren seems to reckon the winner of Sam Sexton & Derreck Chisora will go on to be a HW champ. Be interesting to pit the winner against Haye

Frank Warren thinks a lot of things... Usually things which will make him an extortionate amount of money.

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

I think it would still do some good for the division for Haye to sort out some of the deadwood in quick succession.

By sort out I mean knock out, in style, in just a couple of rounds.

I sort of get the impression that the hunger has gone from Haye, and that he's now content to enjoy the trappings of being a heavyweight champion, rather than being the saviour of the division that he once promised to be.

 

[EastStandBlue]

I think it would still do some good for the division for Haye to sort out some of the deadwood in quick succession.

By sort out I mean knock out, in style, in just a couple of rounds.

I sort of get the impression that the hunger has gone from Haye, and that he's now content to enjoy the trappings of being a heavyweight champion, rather than being the saviour of the division that he once promised to be.

I'm not so sure... Haye can knock seven shades out of all the mopes he wants, but unless he topples at least one of the Klitschko's then nothing will change. Personally, I too think that the fire has gone from Haye. I think he knows he'll struggle to beat either of them and probably should've stepped up to HW earlier on in his career and instead is quite happy to sit around as a HW champion not doing alot.

Unfortunately for Haye, noone will remember his legacy unless he fights either of them...

 

[number11]

I think it's a great pity that Fraudly is being given such a lucrative and high profile bout. He is so deluded about his abilities and his 'true place' in boxing hierarchy. That said, this is still a fight I would want to see so they may as well make it happen.

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

I'm not so sure... Haye can knock seven shades out of all the mopes he wants, but unless he topples at least one of the Klitschko's then nothing will change. Personally, I too think that the fire has gone from Haye. I think he knows he'll struggle to beat either of them and probably should've stepped up to HW earlier on in his career and instead is quite happy to sit around as a HW champion not doing alot.

Unfortunately for Haye, noone will remember his legacy unless he fights either of them...

Oh I agree he has to fight one of the Klitschkos, but I don't think he harms his image in the meantime if he injects some excitement into the division by knocking out, with fights in quick succession, a whole host of pretenders. The heavyweight division needs some fireworks. Too many fights have been plodding, tactical battles with fighters hidding behind their reach/jab.

What's hurting his image in the meantime is his lack of fights.

 

[EastStandBlue]

What's hurting his image in the meantime is his lack of fights.

Definitely, By taking so long to organise his next fight (and with it now being against a relative no-mark outside of these shores) he's ruined the momentum he had by dispatching Valuev and Ruiz with relative ease. After Ruiz, he could've waltzed into a fight against a Top 10 contender at a Vegas Casino and taken 50% of the purse but now, if anything, he's taken the sting out of his own tail by keeping quiet. Like GBJ says, once this fight is over and done with, he needs to fight someone with a good reputation by May (Holyfield would probably be his first choice, but I'd prefer him to fight someone the better side of 40), or he'll be facing an uphill battle to get either Vlad or Vitali to the table.

 

[GBJ]

Definitely, By taking so long to organise his next fight (and with it now being against a relative no-mark outside of these shores) he's ruined the momentum he had by dispatching Valuev and Ruiz with relative ease. After Ruiz, he could've waltzed into a fight against a Top 10 contender at a Vegas Casino and taken 50% of the purse but now, if anything, he's taken the sting out of his own tail by keeping quiet. Like GBJ says, once this fight is over and done with, he needs to fight someone with a good reputation by May (Holyfield would probably be his first choice, but I'd prefer him to fight someone the better side of 40), or he'll be facing an uphill battle to get either Vlad or Vitali to the table.

I'd like to see him clash with Holyfield in Vegas, (mainly because it's a top-drawer excuse for a lads holiday to Vegas) but I can't see how Holyfield would cope? Nearly 50, ranked 24th in the world. It would have to be a 1st round KO for Haye. Anything else would be embarressing IMO.

 

[EastStandBlue]

I'd like to see him clash with Holyfield in Vegas, (mainly because it's a top-drawer excuse for a lads holiday to Vegas) but I can't see how Holyfield would cope? Nearly 50, ranked 24th in the world. It would have to be a 1st round KO for Haye. Anything else would be embarressing IMO.

He'd have to win, that's for sure (Surely every fight for Haye from here on in is a must win?), but a first round KO isn't exactly something I'd expect or like to see...

 

[GBJ]

He'd have to win, that's for sure (Surely every fight for Haye from here on in is a must win?), but a first round KO isn't exactly something I'd expect or like to see...

Depends on what your expectations are. I expect, the man who wants to be UHW Champ, to be able to drop an old codger like Holyfield inside one round. This isn't Real Deal Holyfield of the late 80's. This is a near-50-year old, who has had 1 fight in the last 2 years (against a bum at that), and had lost the previous 2 before that. Yep I expect a 1st round destruction of Holyfield.

I would and I wouldn't like to see it. I would because it is, as YB was alluding to, a statement from Haye.

If I was there watching it, I wouldn't like it as much, as i'd feel robbed, just as I did when i sat ringside for Haye and Enzo.

 

[EastStandBlue]

There's something about watching an old man being savagely beaten that I'd probably find a little unnerving...

 

[BrettieAngell]

They are comparing this to Lewis v Bruno!! This fight has a whole lot of 'meh' about it.

 

[EastStandBlue]

So much for the "Battle of Brixton"... It's being held at the MEN.

How this fight has "huge box office appeal" I'll never know... It's scandalous that they'll charge £15 for this fight, whereas FMJ and Pacquiao are more or less screened for free on Sky Sports.

I'd imagine DeGale will be lined up for the undercard, with Frankie Gavin a possibility as well.