Has Wladimir fought someone of the speed of haye before?

Thing is Tyson was better than Haye but even he had trouble with the good big men who weren't afraid of him. Pacquiao is spectacular and a great fighter. Haye isn't in his class p4p. Haye has one chance against Wladimir and that's a spectacular, early knockout but it is very unlikely. I think we'll see Haye get worn down and dominated to a latish stoppage. That said, it is really difficult to assess how good Haye is based on his opposition at HW so far. He might not be as good as we think he is and he might also be better. We have seen so many fighters lauded on the basis of good performances against average opposition wilt when they stepped up. The special fighters make the grade, but this is a big step up for Haye.

 

No he hasnt... he will be knocked out on July 2nd!

 

If Haye does do it, I will have to give it to him: it'll be like when Ali beat Liston (which most people thought was unlikely at the time). However most challengers fall by the wayside and I can think of very few fighters being succesful against an established, formidable champion like Klitschko having only faced so weak opposition as Haye has. That's not to say it is impossible, but... Wladimir by KO is still my bet.

 

Chris Byrd and Eddie Chambers. But Haye hits harder than both put together.

 

No he hasn't, but that wasn't the OP's question was it.
The fact is neither has fought anyone like they are gonna face next week.

 

The pressing down is one thing (is that even illegal?), but the main thing in this fight will be if Wladimir controls the distance with his hard jab like he usually does. I think he will. Haye is fast but I don't see him having the neccessary footwork to get past that. He isn't really an inside banger anyway. He'll have to come in over the jab beating Wlad to the punch, but that's a tough target to hit with Wlad's chin always tucked in these days and the precision and power of those jabs that he'll have to keep slipping. Haye has been targetting Wladimir's confidence in the press conferences and faceoff and I think that's smart because it may be the easiest target. I think he needs Wlad to make a mistake and become shaken, but the fight is Wladimir's to loose. We are only ever talking of what COULD maybe, possibly happen to WK but there are also big questionmarks around Haye: what will he do if he can't get in over the jab? What happens if Wladimir lands the big right on the money? Does Haye have the conditioning to handle the fight going into late rounds against a bigger guy? Can he defend himself in the clinch? Can he get off the ropes if gets pushed to them continually without ending up in the clinch and getting drained? And so on.

 

I agree with you, people overrate Wlad's right hand b/c truly a lot of his fights are set up or ended with that brutal left hook. That left hook destroyed Austin and Peter. Wlad has a big right hand I'll admit, but that left jab and left hook is so dangerous. Haye cannot outbox Wlad, nobody has ever done that or beaten Wlad via decision. Haye will have to go in there and try to catch Wlad early or else Haye will lose. It makes me laugh how everyone thinks Wlad is slow which is the complete opposite of the truth. Chambers and Byrd were pretty fast and look what Wlad did to them. What do you think?

 

True but Wlad has been a heavyweight his whole career, and has definitely fought better opponents. Haye talks all of his crap and says Wlad only faught old fat bums, but last time I checked Haye's last four opponents were very old and over-the-hill.

 

Chambers, Byrd, Ibragimov, Sanders

 

Wlad slow? as if! here's a video of him moving slightly faster than samuel ****ing peter.

sweet baby jesus.

 

:good

 

No. Disregard all this nonsense you hear about Byrd and Chambers being quicker.

Not only does he have incredibly fast handspeed, he himself is incredibly fast and athletic. Wlad hasn't really faced anyone with such a combination of the two, and thats even if you disregard his power.