By James Slater: Ace trainer of champions Freddie Roach has earned a reputation as a guy who is capable of making darned good pre-fight predictions. Often getting the exact round right when calling the outcome of a fight, Roach has proven time and again how he knows his stuff.
In light of this, it’s no surprise top boxing writer Gareth A Davies of The Telegraph wanted to get Freddie’s opinion on the outcome of the fight everyone is talking about right now: Wladimir Klitschko Vs. David Haye. And, in speaking exclusively with the newspaper, Roach made it clear he gives “The Hayemaker” a very good chance indeed.
“The key to this fight for Haye is to take Wladimir’s confidence away, and do it early,” Roach said to Davies. “I think Haye has a great opportunity if he goes out there early and uses his power, and tries to take Wladimir’s confidence away. Haye needs to take that window of opportunity.”
Roach went on to explain how he once worked with Wladimir and that he and Haye are friends of his. Quite alarmingly, however, Roach shared with the publication a story regarding something Wladimir said to him one day when the two were working together.
“I said to him one day – ‘You’re a great athlete,’” Roach said. “You know what he said to me? ‘I wish I could fight.’
It is this perceived lack of true self belief on Wladimir’s part that Roach feels Haye can exploit with a fast, authoritative, explosive start. Roach is a true believer in mental strength and in the interview it sure comes across like Freddie feels Wladimir is weaker than Haye is in this area. But will Haye be able to jump right on Klitschko like Roach feels he has to?
Other big-punching heavyweights have tried to take the heat right to “Dr. Steel Hammer” ever since Corrie Sanders shocked him inside a couple of rounds in 2003. Guess what? They have all failed. Haye may be a lot faster than Sam Peter and Ruslan Chagaev, and he may have more power than Eddie Chambers and Chris Byrd, but does he have either the chin Peter and Chagaev have (or had) or the defensive prowess Byrd and “Fast” Eddie knew how to make use of?
Roach stopped short of predicting a round, but he said enough to give Haye fans added hope. Roach feels Haye must do it early or run the risk of being beaten once Wladimir gets into his rhythm. And Haye himself has made no secret of the fact that he intends to come out blazing with both hands. This is probably the WBA champ’s best chance of adding the Ring Magazine, IBF, WBO and IBO belts to his collection. But what if Haye walks onto something hard as he tries to unload his own artillery?
I think, if Haye does indeed come out slugging, this fight will come down to who lands a bomb first. Can we expect a sensationally exciting, short and sweet slugfest? Let’s hope so! Roach says the fight is a good one for the division and that a Haye win will be the best result for boxing because he is exciting whereas the Klitschkos are “boring.”
I can’t see the rapidly approaching fight being in any way boring; whoever wins.