By Ted Spoon – www.tedspoon.co.uk, Assuming all this encouraging talk of David Haye going for a giant Ukrainian materializes then we genuinely have something to be pleased about in the heavyweight division.
Haye’s exciting style and welcoming personality has done its work in pulling the strings for what would be considered, in normal circumstances, an undeserved title shot. But that’s trivial; the heavyweight division continues to age and Haye has the tools to give it a face lift.
The key point is depending on what fight comes off may have great consequences on the future of Haye. To put it simple, a fight with Wladimir is the better choice; the safer bet where there is a greater likelihood of victory. Despite the fact Vitali is at the historically vulnerable age of 37, the age when a young buck is supposed to send you though the ropes of leave you to retire on your stool, he is not fighting to pay off taxes, or for prides sake.
This a new age of boxing were well preserved champions may make calculated business ventures into the ring; no pressure. Vitali is a very fresh 37 and should still have the whiskers to render Hayes best chance of victory (KO) void. Vitali has proven a few times that he is better suited to handling adversity then his temperamental brother; he has a stylistically incompatible manner of boxing and a mature work ethic.
A fight with Vitali would still be exciting because Haye almost guarantees to blast or implode. We can at least be thankful that the fight has a good chance of skirting away from the scorecards, then go one further and hold our attention.
Ultimately, a game effort would likely be met with another British failure for top honors.
The site of the well-paced Vitali, leaning back and slipping through a stream of leather, breaking the spirit of Haye comes naturally. David has displayed vulnerability in less hazardous bouts and his defense is in his ability to dictate.
Haye would need a sizeable transformation into a rounded attacker. He would have to learn how to sharply cut off the ring, bob, and put together shorter punches to open Vitali up from the inside out. His usual long range approach and favored left-right swoops would not work against the 6, 7 boxer who would punish the over-reaching.
You have to be pretty good to defeat a conditioned Vitali Klitschko and that kind of fighter does not exist in the division at this time. Too many amateurs, taught to box for percentages could never hope to succeed in outperforming the better equipped champion.
We wait for the young beast to gorge on the giant, so Haye must go with what should have been plan A – Wladimir.
With Wladimir, a somewhat surprisingly greater chance of immediate end is there for Haye. The younger brother of the crown-wearing duet carries more weight in his punches, but with his committed, hunched over stance he head is there for Hayes intrusive lunges.
What Haye lacks for in a needed conventional defense, he makes up with a willingness to go all out. Haye does possess the tools here to upset the control that Wladimir usually establishes over his demoralized victims. A well placed dig could start the meltdown that has haunted Wladimir a few times.
On the flipside, Hayes low left and ballsy nature offer great invites to Wladimir’s pulverizing right and chopping left, both deal sealers. Haye would make the fight into a shootout, but it’s one he has a very live shot of winning.
Let’s get one of these fights done with, but give us the better option. A fight with Wladimir will allow boxing to see how well he has grown since being beaten. There is a lot of respect for Wladimir to gain in tackling Haye than there was in plucking away at Hasim Rahman, and Haye is given the chance to defeat a respected heavyweight.
Vitali is the potential party-pooper. We could have a good thing on our hands, don’t send it packing. If ‘Dr Iron fist’ does call, it would be nice to be wrong.