by James Slater – Nikolai Valuev and David Haye have just one common opponent: New York’s Monte “Two Gunz” Barrett. Stopped by both men – in 11-rounds by the current WBA champion back in 2006, and in 5-rounds by Haye last November – Barrett knows all about the strengths and possible weaknesses of both fighters.
In an interview with Tris Dixon of British Boxing News magazine, “Two Gunz” gave his take on the fight that will take place in two days time.
Picking Valuev to win, Barrett isn’t sure whether or not “The Russian Giant” can stop “The Hayemaker..”
“I think David Haye has more tenacity,” Barrett told Boxing News. “But I think Valuev will win because he’s good at what he does. I don’t know if Valuev can stop David but I know he can win the fight. David’s been doing what he has to do. He’s got a big mouth. The most quiet he’s been was since he fought me but I think he’s making the same mistake I made when I fought him. He’s getting caught up in the hype.”
Barrett, last seen losing inside two rounds to Cuban contender Odlanier Solis, still believes he won the fight with Haye – referring to the trip to the mat Haye took in the 5th-round.
“It took him 45 seconds to get up from that knockdown,” Barrett said. “He’s just so much hype that instead of taking the fight seriously and landing a huge right hand and winning the fight he’s thinking about the hype.”
Barrett did knock Haye down, as Haye himself readily admits, but after doing so he hit Haye while he was down, thus obliterating the knockdown with a foul. Moving on, Barrett says Haye might get lucky and land a KO punch against Valuev on Saturday. Barrett does believe Haye is a bigger puncher than Valuev.
“I don’t know if Haye has the power to knock Valuev out but anybody over 200-pounds can get lucky,” he said. “He has power. He’s not heavy-handed, he just has a lot of pop in his punch. When he hit me it reminded me of Wladimir Klitschko. He has deceptive speed about his power and Klitschko has the same type of power in his punches. Valuev is not heavy-handed at all.
“If he trades with Valuev, Valuev is not a big puncher, he’s just a heavy guy and he punches like he slaps, believe it or not. But if you fight the wrong fight all of a sudden Valuev gets a shot in here or there and he follows it up with 300-pounds behind it, it wears you out.”
Barrett makes a pretty good case for Haye winning, actually – even though his pick is Valuev. Speaking on his own career, the 38-year-old says he may fight on; despite being blown away in the short-notice fight with Solis. Barrett told Dixon he has “two more fights” and that he “doesn’t want to leave on that note (The Solis fight).”
Most would probably prefer to see the likeable New Yorker call it quits right now. Maybe Monte, an articulate guy, would make a good commentator or analyst.