The Boxing Nation Speaks on the David Haye-Nikolay Valuev Clash

Love him or hate him, there hasn’t been a Heavyweight causing as much ruckus as London’s David Haye these days. Despite finding a way to end up avoiding fights with the two Klitschko brothers and having not fought since November of last year, Haye’s brash nature and cutthroat bravado has given the division a different breath of air and for some, hope of an eventual new face.

Haye has again made news by signing to fight WBA Champion Nikolay Valuev this coming November and it is a move that has had the fans talking. While some call Haye a coward for avoiding fights with the perennial brothers of the division, others look at this as nothing more than simply a shrewd and calculated business move, citing the fact that Haye was forced with a list of stipulations if he were to have signed the contract to face Vitali this September.

At the end of the day the thing that matters most just may be Haye’s actions following his winter showdown with the giant Valuev, as fans can only hope he gets in the ring with either Klitschko sooner rather that later. For now all we can do is take this matchup for what it’s worth as we watch the drama play itself out.

Wanting to get a deeper sense of what the fans think of the Haye-Valuev matchup and everything surrounding it, 8 Count News took a look at some choice boxing forums on the net to get a pulse of what the fans are saying…

(Mikkel @ BoxingFanatics.com)…
“I wish the slow, robotic and ultra boring Russians would just somehow disappear, but I'm afraid they won't go voluntarily.”

(Adamiw @ FightBeat.com)…
“It is a smart move. This will no doubt incense the Klitschkos to the point where they may not be willing to ever do business with Haye again...however, beat Valuev....and then Haye has the elusive WBA belt that the Klitschkos require to complete their heavyweight title collection. Thus, a Haye-Wlad/Vitali fight becomes even bigger. Other factors.....Valuev is far easier to beat, and Nov 7th is probably a better date for Haye as it gives him greater time to recover from the injury that cancelled the June date with Wlad.”

(Jim Jeffries @ BoxingScene.com)…
“Valuev seems like a fairly decent guy in interviews. You wouldn't think it considering all of the hate he gets, especially on here. Can't see any way he can beat Haye, unless he's able to work the jab the way he was against Lyakhovich, but I don't think it's quick enough to affect Haye much.”

(Reed @ BoxingFanatics.com)…
“Haye will beat the Shit Out of Valuev....”

(Hanz @ FightBeat.com)…
“Haye's a loudmouth chicken sh*t like Floyd Jr. F*cker avoided both Klitschkos, all the while talking big sh*t and wearing stupid ass photoshopped shirts of himself standing over their bodies. Pussy! Valuev will f*ck him up hopefully.”

(Special K @ BoxingScene.com)…
“Haye is a little bitch and would have been stamped out like an old camp fire by Vitali. That's why he's fighting Valuev, he hopes to get the WBA belt and call himself king without fighting anybody - a bit like that other fraud Amir Khan. I wouldn't be surprised if he ducks both K's for good and tries to fight lesser lights in the London O2 on PPV. We've seen this before from the people like Eubank and Hamed who both sat back on their WBO belts and ducked the other belt holders while making serious dough.”

(Valdosta @ BoxingFanatics.com)…
“Actually pretty smart if he is fighting Valuev instead of Vitali. He has a reasonable chance of winning and it puts him in better negotiating position for the future.”

(Stoppage @ BoxingScene.com)…
“If an old Holyfield can beat [Valuev], Haye will destroy him.”

(Azazel @ FightBeat.com)…
“Sure, Haye's the pussy yet it's the Kiltshko's who put a 10 foot list of conditions to make a fight with him”

(HOMICIDE @ BoxingFanatics.com)…
“Though it is a smart move it is not one that the fans should like, there is no way you talk so much crap about two brothers have a chance to fight both of them and pulled out of each one...not kool”

(RayCorey @ BoxingScene.com)…
“Valuev is slow but he has improved his boxing technique a bit, He was more than terrible before, He looks and fought like a bear with gloves on before.”

(Outlander @ FightBeat.com)…
“So although I know the status quo will be "Haye is a chicken, fuck him" (and this may be exactly the case), I can DEFINITELY see Vitali purposely making this negotiation a fucking horror for David Haye after what has happened. If you read the ESPN article, you see that Haye never actually signed the contract, and never really agreed to the fight in any tangible way. They were still negotiating, but Vitali's camp intentionally went to the press and portrayed the fight as done. Then they make apparently impossible demands of Haye, and blame him publicly for the fight falling through. So my tendency is to believe at least some of what David Haye says. However, in any case, sometimes you need to sign away some things you don't want to in order to get a shot at greatness. I frankly do not see how anything Haye does is going to make his negotiation better with the Klits, unless he goes out there and literally KOs his next 3 top 10 heavy opponents in spectacular fashion, and the public is so clamoring for the fight that it has to be made. Anything else is just more of the same, and the Klits will be as much assholes later as they are now when it comes to fighting David Haye. So good luck to Haye, but all it takes is one crappy loss, or a few nondescript performances and he will fall off the radar and the Klits will have no desire or pressure to fight him at all.”

(Witton Lane @ BoxingFanatics.com)…
“Someone sees the bigger picture here then....that's exactly why Haye has done this. He was offered another bitch contract by Vitali so he told him to fuck himself and now he's fighting for a version of the belt which means the Klitschkos won't be able to pull that crap again in the future. What's interesting is that Don King of all people must have offered Haye a better deal than the Krauts did. What I read was that the Klitschko contract meant that if Haye beat Vitali he'd then have to rematch him (fair enough) and if he won that he'd have to then fight 2 more fights against a Klitschko, probably Wladimir with the Klitschkos promoting all 4 fights and taking the lion’s share of the money. Yeah, that sounds like a great deal doesn't it. If Haye beats Valuev he'll be back at the table able to get 50%, and with none of the bitch clauses, it's a smart move.”

(Eric0816 @ BoxingFanatics.com)…
“It took Haye one fight and a lot of hot air to become the biggest bitch in the heavyweight division.”

(Salaco @ FightBeat.com)…
“The thing is, this is the fight he should have had prior to all the Klitschko rubbish, although if the Wlad fight hadn't sold so many seats in gelsenkirchen and generated so much press interest, he might not be sitting in the front seat facing value next...so maybe its all worked out.
I'm not an apologist but I have no problem with him facing a Klitschko in late 2009 or sometime in 2010 instead, its what he should have been aiming for in the first place.”

(Dark Destroyer @ BoxingFanatics.com)…
“I don't see it as a smart move. Valuev has never been knocked down and in my opinion Haye has to somehow overcome an 8 stone disadvantage to knock him out to win because of the bullshit judges in Germany. Valuev lost to Holyfield but was given the decision which was a boxing disgrace, so Haye fighting Valuev in Germany is not a smart move. I predict a loss on points no matter how good Haye fights.”

(StingerKarl @ FightBeat.com)…
“Finally this lead footed, no talent, ugly, know nothing boxing, ungainly mutant is going to be getting rid of. I am confident you will knock this freak right back into the sideshow carnival, Hayemaker! The only bad thing is; Haye had best be careful and not break his hands on this Herman Munster look-alike’s forehead.”

(Arben @ BoxingFanatics.com)…
“Haye beats Valuev easy. He's shoot right hands from the outside and eventually breaks Valuev down into taking a knee or some shit. Good for him for turning down a bad offer from the Klitschkos. Sure, that's probably the best fight in the heavyweight division, but he's doing some great marketing and making the heavyweight division interesting again....by not fighting.”


Questions and Comments can be sent to Chris at Trimond@aol.com and www.Myspace.com/BoxingHarmony