Does Haye need to confirm his place as the 3rd best HW?

In the build up to the Klitschko Haye fight(s) it has been virtually taken for granted that Haye is in the top 3 heavy's in the World and the biggest challenge to the K bros. Following the fight and how easily Wlad dealt with Haye, do people not think that Haye should be trying to prove he is the best of the rest? For me he falls into a group of fighters such as Eddie Chambers, Chagaev, Peters, Solis, Arreola, Adamek and Povetkin. Victories over Audley, Valuev, Barrett, Bonin and Ruiz don't outshine many of the above. At the moment, being unbeaten, Povetkin and Adamek (unbeaten at hw) could claim to be above Haye. All the others would at least have a claim to be in and around Haye. I'd like to see Haye postpone his retirement for a couple of years, defeat 2 or 3 of the above and then get a legitmate shot at Wlad. regardless of that result I believe Haye would regain a lot of respect - which he derserves for his cruiserweight achievements.

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I agree. I think hes really going to be stung by the criticism of him and the fear of how he will be remembered.

I would like him to face Chambers or Arreola in America and try to potentially repair his damaged reputation.

For all his talk about him being way ahead of the chasing pack, and many believed it was a big three, he never really proved it and Im still not totally convinced hes miles ahead of the likes of Solis, Peter, Ibragimov, Povetkin etc and all the guys hes been giving out about.

I think he has to re-assert himself by beating some of these ranked contenders if he wants to justify a rematch or fight with Vitali.

GeoffSnapes wrote:Following the fight and how easily Wlad dealt with Haye, do people not think that Haye should be trying to prove he is the best of the rest?

If he's serious about facing Wladimir again (or Vitali, for that matter), then yes he should, absolutely. I think saturday night has well and truly smashed the theory that Haye was / is a huge leap up in quality from anything else that the Klitschkos have been facing to bits. I'm sure he genuinely believed that to be true in his own head before the fight, but with no belt, no inspiring moments to take from the fight and his credibility at a very low ebb due to his talking beforehand, Haye must surely realise that he's now merely just another Heavyweight contender in the grand scheme of things.

Talk of an instant rematch or a WBC title shot against Vitali, based on saturday night, is ridiculous as far as I'm concerned. I also think you're bang on when you mention the respect of the fans - I, for one, would be much kinder to Haye if he were to properly earn another 'mega fight' down the line, rather than talking his way in to it.

manos de piedra wrote:I agree. I think hes really going to be stung by the criticism of him and the fear of how he will be remembered.

I would like him to face Chambers or Arreola in America and try to potentially repair his damaged reputation.

For all his talk about him being way ahead of the chasing pack, and many believed it was a big three, he never really proved it and Im still not totally convinced hes miles ahead of the likes of Solis, Peter, Ibragimov, Povetkin etc and all the guys hes been giving out about.

I think he has to re-assert himself by beating some of these ranked contenders if he wants to justify a rematch or fight with Vitali.

Agree with every word.

Solis fought his way to a title fight, so did Povetkin etc. Haye really talked his way to a shot - if he'd have shown more it wouldn't be such an issue - but after losing by such a wide points margin we're bound to question the hype.

throughout boxing, by being the number one in a division gives you a great chance of getting a title shot in the division above.

haye was number one cruiser, he got a shot at the WBA belt which he won.

haye deserved the fight as he was a world champion and the brothers desperately wanted the 4th belt for their collection.

Agreed. If he wants to continue and repair his damaged reputation, Haye has to have at least two if not three fights against top ten / fifteen opposition to warrant another shot a Wlad. Personnaly, I think he should fight Povetkin who is a good fighter, but seems to acknowledge that he is not good enough for Wlad or Vitali by refusing to take the fight. If Haye loses to Povetkin, then it's time to retire.

Personally wouldn't buy another fight with either Klit unless he had beaten someone else first.

Would another fight with either generate enough PPV money to make it worthwhile financially for them?

For me he has a huge amount of work to repair his reputation and that would involve him fighting at least one of the top contenders on free to air TV.

It isn't the fact he lost, that was probably the most likely outcome anyway, just the fact he did oh dear all in the fight.

I agree, I think he probably would beat the guys in the chasing pack, but only just.

I don’t think Haye is interested in a fight unless it is the most moneys he has ever made, so I don’t expect to see him in with a Chambers, Chagaev, Peters, Solis, Arreola, Adamek or Povetkin very soon.

I gotta be honest and say i thought Haye would stop Wlad because i had a feeling Wlad would be let down by his whiskers again, but he was very good on the night in just outclassing the big mouthed Haye, who imo is a disgrace to the sport, ie the severed heads t-shirts, saying he'd put Wlad in hospital, then making the crowd wait 20-30 mins, rabbiting on about a daft toe, bull, cut the garbage you were absolutely taken to school by a real fighter. He beat a poor, poor Mormeck and Maccarinelli and that's about it, as an heavyweight i always had a feeling fighting bonafied BUMS like Harrison would prime him for a fall when up against the best. I think Wlad should retire now as well, he's beat everyone apart from his brother and has nothing else to prove. I don't think Haye has been anything at all special, he's been a good fighter, who imo falls behind the likes of Hatton, Calzaghe, Lewis by some way, 3 retired ex world champs.

GeoffSnapes wrote: I believe Haye would regain a lot of respect - which he derserves for his cruiserweight achievements.

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~ Mr. Snapes, why sir, I do believe aliens have been secretly populating the earth with broken little toes, so Mr. Haye deserves credit for the 3rd best ever little broken toe in history.

Now that all the moist lads here have dried out their misbegotten tears, I can finally accord Mr. Haye his well earned respect! Perhaps the next time around he can break Mr. Hopkins' record for time spent on all fours in the ring.

very good..next.

Young_Towzer wrote:I gotta be honest and say i thought Haye would stop Wlad because i had a feeling Wlad would be let down by his whiskers again

He beat a poor, poor Mormeck and Maccarinelli and that's about it, as an heavyweight i always had a feeling fighting bonafied BUMS like Harrison would prime him for a fall when up against the best.

Hang on, you thought he'd stop Klitschko but you also thought he'd lose when he faced the best? Make your mind up!!!

Why fight other boxers.....apart from the Klits..

Legacy is ruined anyway...he's financially secure...

Beating some stiffs won't prove anything...

Rematch with Vlad or retire......If he beats Vitali it won't mean much as Vitali is pushing 40..

Vlad or bye...

Actually agree with truss. He need to offer Wlad a 75-25 split of the purse. Hold the fight at Wembley with George Groves on the undercard.

Wlad could never turn down that money.

ps i thought Wlad looked f'd up after the fight on saturday. grimacing, shaky..... Anyone else?

McCartney wrote:

Young_Towzer wrote:I gotta be honest and say i thought Haye would stop Wlad because i had a feeling Wlad would be let down by his whiskers again

He beat a poor, poor Mormeck and Maccarinelli and that's about it, as an heavyweight i always had a feeling fighting bonafied BUMS like Harrison would prime him for a fall when up against the best.

Hang on, you thought he'd stop Klitschko but you also thought he'd lose when he faced the best? Make your mind up!!!

I thought the fight could go both ways, Haye by KO, Wlad by KO and it went to points!, but i have said in the past on here and the old 606 the bums he was fighting would prime him for a fall.