One Final Chance for Boxing to Save Its Image

Boxing has shot itself in the foot yet again. As referee Luis Pabon stepped in to stop the fight in the third round, you could sense that the sport knew. They have one last chance to save themselves and regain some credibility.

Last night, there were wins for two of the biggest personalities in boxing. In Manchester, David Haye crushed Audley Harrison, stopping him in the third round. Across the ocean, Manny Pacquiao put on a master-class to win all twelve rounds against Antonio Margarito. However, there are only two fights that boxing fans really want to see involving those two men. Unfortunately, who knows whether we will ever see them?


David Haye has claimed all along that he wants to unify the heavyweight division. That he wants to restore credibility to the division by beating the best. However, since winning the title from Nikolay Valuev, he has fought John Ruiz and Audley Harrison.

Whilst he is a good talker outside the ring, Audley Harrison should never have been anywhere near a title shot. He was simply there for the payday. Various boxing promoters have echoed these sentiments. “I never changed my views that Haye would win within three rounds. I don’t think Harrison should have been allowed to fight.” The words of Frank Maloney, a British boxing promoter.

Frank Warren was of a similar opinion: “I thought Audley Harrison was disgraceful. One person turned up, took his purse and that was it. He did not try to get into any shape or form and that’s a disgrace to any fighter who gets an opportunity like that.”

After all the hype, the fight itself was a bitter disappointment. Neither boxer landed a single punch in the first round, leading to the crowd booing the fight within the opening two minutes. The second round was no better. Harrison landed one jab, whilst Haye connected with a couple of weak shots. The booing continued.

And it was all over in the third. Haye was simply too fast and too powerful for Harrison. It begs the question of why the fight was even made. It is difficult to avoid the thought that it was simply made to make the two fighters some money.


David Haye must now manage to agree terms to fight one of the Klitschko brothers. There is simply no other fighter that he could put on a credible fight with. Yet, this has been the case for over a year now. Each side claims that the other is trying to avoid them. However, they need to sit down and do whatever it takes to make the fight happen. If not for each other, for the credibility of their sport.

Bernd Bonte, the manager of the Klitschko brothers, has today said they would be willing to fight Haye if all money from the fight is split 50-50. He has also said there would be any form of rematch clause. Supposedly the Klitschkos want Haye and Haye wants the Klitschkos. So stop the verbals and get the contract signed.

Across the Atlantic, Manny Pacquiao once again demonstrated why many believe him to be the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world. He was magnificent in demolishing a good fighter in Antonio Margarito, leaving the Mexican a bloody mess by the time the final bell rang. Whatever your views on whether Margarito should even be allowed to fight any more after his previous antics is another matter, but he stood no chance against the sheer class of Pacquiao.


As for Haye, there is only one opponent left for Manny Pacquiao – the undefeated Floyd Mayweather. For a few glorious weeks earlier this year, we thought the super-fight of the decade was on. However, it was only another false dawn for a sport that desperately needs something to boost its image.

If they cannot somehow agree terms to fight each other, it is likely that we may have seen the end of Manny Pacquiao. Having recently been voted into Parliament in the Philippines, Pacquiao has often said that this would be his last fight. However, he would surely not retire if Mayweather was the final option.

Manny's promoter, Bob Arum, has today stated that fixing Pacquiao v Mayweather is his top priority. However, as with Haye, we have heard it all before. They need to stop talking the talk, and start walking the walk. Stop talking about signing the fight and just get it signed.


Whichever way you look at it, boxing lost a lot of credibility last night. For years, boxers have been accused of protecting their records by ducking the big unification fights. Fans don’t want to see their favourites simply beating up on someone who shouldn’t be in the ring with them. Boxing fans want to see the best fighting the best.

And this is why boxing desperately needs a Haye v Klitschko fight. And this is why boxing desperately needs the Pacquiao v Mayweather fight. Anything other than these and boxing fans may begin to desert the sport.

DW

Nowhere to Hide

Two minutes and one second into the ninth round, the towel was thrown in and David Haye had made his first successful defence of his WBA Heavyweight title. Although his opponent, John Ruiz, was never expected to win this fight, Haye will have been particularly happy with the stoppage that he had promised. With this fight out of the way, the hopes for a unification bout with one of the formidable Klitschko brothers, Vitali or Wladimir, intensifies.

John Ruiz, the mandatory challenger for Haye’s title, is a former 2-time heavyweight champion, and has been in the ring with some of the best heavyweights in recent times – a trio of matches with Evander Holyfield, Roy Jones Jr., Hasim Rahman, twice against Nikolay Valuev and Ruslan Chagaev. He had only been stopped once previously in 54 fights – 14 years ago against David Tua – so the nature of the victory was particularly pleasing. However, he hopes this is only the beginning.

Talks are expected to commence within the week to try and arrange the fight that people want to see. Haye v Klitschko. However, despite rumours of a £10m+ deal for each fighter, it is not as easy as it seems. It is believed that Haye wants to face the younger brother, Wladimir, first, this autumn in front of a packed-out Wembley Stadium. However, the Klitschkos would prefer the fight to be staged in their adopted country of Germany. A fight between the two had been arranged last year, but Haye was forced to pull out with a back injury sustained during his training camp. There are other complications in the deal though.

Haye is contractually obliged to give the Russian giant, Nikolay Valuev, whom he beat last year to win the title, a rematch. If Valuev chooses to cash in this clause, Haye will have to fight him. However, there are hopes that the two sides can reach an agreement to suspend this clause, allowing Haye to chase the Klitschkos. Another complication is that Wladimir Klitschko must face the mandatory challenger for his title, Aleksandr Povetkin. There are hopes that a deal can be arranged so that the winner of a possible Haye v Wladimir fight would go on to defend the title against Povetkin, before a possible unification bout against the elder brother, Vitali, were Haye to win both of these fights.

The feud between the brothers and David Haye has become very personal, ever since Haye set his sights on the heavyweight division. It is clear that neither side likes the other. Ahead of his fight with Valuev, Haye caused uproar by wearing a controversial t-shirt depicted the severed heads of the Klitschko brothers. Despite demands for an apology, none has been forthcoming. Wladimir has challenged Haye to live up to his words, saying “action speaks louder than words, and right now, he is a loser because he bitched out twice – me and then Vitali.” Following his victory against Ruiz, Haye claimed that any of the shots he had landed with that night would have knocked out the brothers.

However, it is no forgone conclusion that Haye would be able to beat either of the brothers. It is no coincidence that they have ruled the division for many years, and it would be an enormous step-up in class for Haye. They are both more powerful, stronger and athletic, have greater reach and more technical ability than any fighters he has faced before. Whilst they are not necessarily the most exciting fighters, there is no denying that they are technically very talented. Haye would have to up his game if he were to have any chance. He was hurt on occasions by Ruiz – his low left hand in defence is an area that would have to be rectified, otherwise he would be knocked out by either of the brothers.

Having said this though, David Haye is exactly what the former flagship division needed. He is brash and cocky, he is one of the most charismatic heavyweight fighters since the great Muhammad Ali, he promises thrilling bouts, and delivers. However, American interest in the division is still lacking, given that neither Haye, nor Wladimir’s previous bout were shown on television there. A fight such as this, given the personal nature of the backstory, would have the potential to relight the division. One hopes that it happens, but nothing can be guaranteed in the complicated world of boxing.