Boxing: David Haye Exclusive - 'I'll never fight Tyson Fury, but Joshua is in my sights'

Standing ringside, watching David Haye go through some pad work with his trainer Shane McGuigan, I get an unexpected start. Moving lightly around the ring, tapping away at the pads, disco classics blaring from the sound sound system, it all looks gentle enough.

A warm-down to end a session. Then, the pace suddenly quickens and...BOOM. Haye launches a terrifying overhand right that elicits a collective wince from the gathered audience. At this proximity, it’s a stark demonstration of the power heavyweights carry. Boxing isn’t for the faint of heart.

The same overhand right left Australian Mark De Mori unable to recall his big evening at the O2, when he acted as target practice for the Londoners return to the sport last month following a 3 year absence. Making up for lost time, Haye has already announced that his second fight on the comeback trail will take place at the same venue on May 21. Had logistics not got in the way, he would have preferred it was even sooner.

“That was the first possible date I could get the O2, if I could get it in 6 weeks time I would fight in 6 weeks time”.

It’s easy to forget that Haye never actually walked away from boxing. His disappearance was enforced by a series of injuries. After victory over Derek Chisora on a raucous night at Upton Park in 2012, Haye was forced to pull out of fights against Manuel Charr and Tyson Fury twice. The period included reconstruction surgery on his right shoulder.

“The moment I was available to fight again I started fighting. I didn’t announce any retirement, I just wasn’t physically capable of getting through a training camp”.

Although it effectively put his career on pause for over three years, Haye credits the injury plagued time for allowing a much needed period of reflection and evaluation.

“I think sitting around for all those years paid off, I feel rejuvenated. When you’re sitting around, lying around, you’re thinking, if I get a chance again, what would I do differently, how can I make sure this never happens again?”

Given that chance, Haye has decided to do plenty of things differently; starting with switching from long time trainer Adam Booth to team-up with rising star Shane McGuigan.

“We re-evaluated everything, the way I train, the foods I eat, the times I sleep. I wasn’t quite doing everything 100% or I could be doing it a lot better. I’m just fortunate I’ve got a second chance”.

The net result of all of this is a Haye who claims he’s fitter, healthier and stronger than he’s ever been. Some have suggested the motives for his return are financial, whilst others seized upon the choice of De Mori as evidence that it wasn’t to be taken seriously. He was even derided for choosing Dave to broadcast the fight. But, listening to him speak, Haye certainly appears to mean business; driven by a renewed focus and appreciation of the transient nature of an athlete’s career. Moreover, remarkable viewing figures of over 3 million silenced the online comedians and signalled that a more than healthy interest in his fortunes remains.

Haye has timed his return to the ring at an intriguing moment. The heavyweight landscape is much altered from the one that he departed in 2012. Wladimir Klitschko’s domination of the division was finally ended by Tyson Fury in December and, should it happen, Haye expects him to repeat the trick in their re-match. Whilst crediting Fury’s performance in Germany, he feels it was against a shadow of the Ukrainian’s former self.

“Would it have been good enough 5 years ago? I personally think not in a million years...I pick Tyson Fury to win the return fight. If Tyson Fury was any good he’d knock him out for sure.”

Should that come to pass, don’t hold your breath for a showdown between the domestic rivals anytime soon. What is the chance of a fight between the pair finally coming to fruition?

“None, me and Tyson Fury won’t fight. I’ll fight for the titles when they’ve gone off him”.

One fight that he certainly is keen on is Anthony Joshua. Since winning Olympic gold, Joshua has amassed an unbeaten 15-0 record and is yet to be taken beyond the seventh round. A showdown between the big hitting Londoners would be a box office stadium filler. But, for the moment at least, a match-up with Haye would represent a huge step up in quality for the Olympian. Some observers of his last fight against Dillian Whyte saw enough to suggest that Haye would be too high risk for this stage of Joshua’s career. Whilst he doesn’t think they want it right now, Haye is hopeful that it will happen somewhere down the road.

“Apparently Anthony Joshua doesn’t wanna go wherever I am at the moment, whichever route I’m going he’s going another route which is fair enough. If he’s not comfortable fighting someone on my level yet, hopefully he’ll gain the confidence fighting the guys he is confident of fighting. But I’m not sure who he can fight to prepare him to fight me”.

What of the other current world title holder, WBC champion Deontay Wilder? Haye believes his claims will shortly be given a serious test. His next mandatory challenger is highly respected Russian, Alexander Povetkin, with a bout likely to happen sometime in the first half of the year. The winner can rightfully claim to be the world’s number one according to Haye.

“We’ll see, Wilder and Povetkin are very close. I’d like to see that fight, that for me is the most interesting fight in the heavyweight division. I’ll let you know after that who is the top dog”.

The identity of Haye’s next opponent is yet to be announced but the Bermondsey fighter is relaxed about who it might be. The only criteria are someone who is “dangerous” and “hasn’t been knocked out recently”. Rumours about Dillian Whyte and Malik Scott are dismissed out of hand.

No time limit has been set on his comeback but Haye is confident it won’t take him too long to return to the pinnacle of the sport.

“It shouldn’t take me any more than a year to either get a title or be in a solid position to fight for one”.

For all he’s achieved, Haye remains a strangely divisive figure to many fans. An undisputed cruiserweight champion and heavyweight title holder, he’s one of the most decorated fighters Britain has ever produced. Yet, as the comments beneath this article will probably attest, he hasn’t garnered universal respect. That has much to do with that night against Klitschko.

He’s evasive when asked where he puts himself in the all time British list, but he might yet convert some of the doubters.

“Hopefully, when years go by, once I’ve finished this and regained all the belts, people will speak highly of me in years to come”.

Tickets for Haye Day, Saturday 21st May at The O2 , are available now bit.ly/HayeDay2

Michael Parsons

Twitter: @Parsonsm84