09.11.06 – David Haye gets the opportunity in London’s York Hall on November 17 to live up to his potential and make his mark on the world scene by defending his European Cruiserweight title against Giacobbe Fragomeni and at the same time, winning a WBC final eliminator. The timing couldn’t be better as the sport of boxing is desperately looking for a star or even a savior.
Right now, with the heavyweight title belts being held by Eastern Europeans and an American who was knocked out in five rounds by Lennox Lewis eight years ago, Haye, a massive cruiserweight, is close to getting the opportunity to fill the very big shoes of the British superstar, whose retirement in 2003 left the division in disarray.
David gave up the big payday offered to him by Fragomeni’s Italian promoters, refusing to give up home advantage, and sticking to his guns so he could pay back the fans who have supported him in his beloved home city of London by winning the WBC title eliminator.
The man with the model looks to go along with a cruise missile punch has as many female fans as he does male fans but Haye knows that he has to put it all together on Friday, November 17 for the rest of the world to take him seriously.
“The Hayemaker” has set his sights on becoming the WBC Cruiserweight Champion early in 2007 and plans on being an active world titleholder. David feels that there is no point in being a champion and only defending the belt once or twice a year; he is aware that to achieve maximum levels of exposure, he must stay busy after beating Fragomeni.
For Haye to realize his ambition to become the best in the world, it means going across to America and fighting there, the same as Lennox Lewis did.
David Haye knows unless he gives an impressive performance against Fragomeni that has people sitting up and paying attention, he will be marked down as just another British fighter who muddled his way through domestic competition only to fail when the stakes were raised.
If Haye really wants to be remembered along the lines of his heroes John Conteh and Lennox Lewis, two Brits who dominated the world scene, he must look very impressive and dispose of the man standing in his way on November 17, Giacobbe Fragomeni.
Maloney Promotions presents the WBC Final Eliminator between David Haye and Giacobbe Fragomeni for the European Cruiserweight Championship on November 17, 2006, at York Hall in London, England. Tickets are available by logging onto www.frankmaloney.com or by calling the Maloney Promotions box office at 0871 226 1508.