With less than a month to go until his much-anticipated rematch with Tony Bellew, David Haye had to pull out of the planned fight due to a “freak training injury”.
The bizarre injury in question reportedly saw him
tear his bicep during a stair conditioning session, but it’s the latest in a long line of injuries for Haye, and something that has defined the latter part of his career.
Haye, 37, insists he wants to fight Anthony Joshua, although admits he has to beat Tony Bellew before he could be considered for such a fight.
It shouldn’t be forgotten what a good fighter Haye was – if not is. He was WBO heavyweight champion of the world until 2011, an impressive feat considering he had not long moved up from the Cruiserweight division – which he had dominated – picking up the WBA, WBC, WBO, The Ring and lineal titles.
His knockout record is also highly impressive, with only two of his 28 career wins going the distance.
The trouble is, he is incredibly injury-prone and has pulled out of multiple fights, and when he does fight – as was the case with the first Bellew fight – he often sustains an assortment of injuries, other than being punched in the head and torso, of course.
Indeed, since losing his heavyweight title to Wladimir Klitschko via decision in July 2011, Haye has fought just four times.
Time Up for Haye?
It’s not just his injury record and inactivity that creates doubts about Haye’s ability to continue competing at the top level. Three months after the Bellew defeat, he split with his trainer of three years, Shane McGuigan, with reports claiming that McGuigan had urged Haye to retire – hence causing the split.
This isn’t to say Haye should necessarily retire, as he is clearly still a talented fighter – although injury-prone. The trouble is, even at the height of his pomp, he would surely have struggled with a fighter boasting the size, speed and power of 6’7 Anthony Joshua. Haye after all, isn’t a big heavyweight, standing at 6’3, and typically weighs in about 30 pounds lighter than Joshua.
Sure, the appeal of a final big payday against Joshua would be massive, but it’s simply a fight Haye couldn’t win.
Fury the Answer?
If he truly does have his heart set on a bout with Joshua, though, he needs to take on and beat one of Joshua’s other contenders, the most interesting of which would probably be a fight with compatriot, Tyson Fury.
Haye was actually slated to fight Fury way back in September 2013, but – you guessed it – pulled out through injury a week before the fight. The fight was then rescheduled for the following February, before Haye again pulled out due to having shoulder surgery.
Unsurprisingly, Fury – who has recently returned to the sport after a two-year layoff due to a mixture of mental health issues and a drugs ban –
wasn’t happy with Haye’s excuses, saying, “I’m absolutely furious, but in all honesty, this is exactly what I expected. Everyone knows I was very suspicious when he pulled out the first time and this confirms to me that he’s always been afraid of me and never wanted this fight.”
Fury is also on the lookout for opponents in 2017 ahead of a potential bout with Joshua, but Haye would clearly be a risky option – in terms of him not making the fight. Nevertheless, it would be an interesting fight – especially for the British public – if it would be possible to get them both in the same ring. And with a prize bout with Anthony Joshua likely awaiting the winner, it would also be one that should interest both fighters desperate to get back to the top of the heavyweight division.
The harsh truth is, though, and it may not be what he wants to hear, that Haye is on his last of last chances if he wants a title shot. It means he needs to not just beat Bellew, but batter him. It means he needs to follow that up with a win against one of the big guns of the division. It means he can’t pull out of any more fights because of injury.