I fell for it too but it was one of the better PPV main events in terms of entertainment, in the Matchroom/Sky era. From the minute Haye sat at ringside for the Flores fight you knew something was cooking. Bellew's false "explosion" and kicking the advert toblerone at "Spongebob"... which he later admitted was a ****-up, proved all along it was as scripted a setup as Hulk Hogan's dalliances with a new bad guy every few months back in the 80s WWF. The thing I'll never figure out - why does Bellew chew gum *all the time*? Even in the middle of punditry you can see him having a fly chow on the gum but otherwise he's like a cow with half a field of grass to tackle. Does he smoke or something and can't do it near a camera?
Don’t feel a fool mate, Bellew was rubbish, had been dropped multiple times in fights before and Haye is a big puncher.
In hindsight i think that whole fight was a con. Would be surprised if hearn and bellew never had a heads up of hayes condition before that fight was signed. We all knew haye had injury problems but dont think anyone quitr ealised he was totally done at that sort of level. I think bellew would have got him out of there regardless of the injury that first fight...the second fight bellew could have picked his moment at any point. Bit of a con that bellew made his career off it...the danger haye posed was hugely overstated. I guess haye was still a danger of somewhat with the big punch...so credit for that. But i dont think bellew would have fancied a fully fit haye at any point.
Nah I think Bellew was going on to win that fight with or without the achilles snapping. Even watch him on the pads in the pre-fight workout a few days before.... his timing and everything was completely off. Bellew's plan was always to get out of the first 4 rounds without getting caught with something stupid and then take over the fight. Haye was finished and as has been said, already went into the fight carrying an injury.
Haye minus injuries would have beat Bellew. No doubt. I'll never forgive Haye for making Bellew what he is now. Forget the little toe, the Dave fights, the cash grabs, Tony Bellew being Tony Bellew is the worst thing David Haye ever did to us.
They almost certainly knew. I remember an interview with them both where they pretty much admitted they knew Haye was shot in the run up to the first fight. It's so obvious in hindsight. He retires on the advice of doctors, makes a miraculous recovery but's fighting on Dave against bouncers he found off Youtube?
Bellew himself as good as admits that on of those golf course videos that pops up on social media. Also say something like Haye will be remembered better than I will or words to that effect. Hard to argue with.
I’m not sure he would have beat him then tbh obviously in his prime he would have destroyed Bellew but he was finished when they fought
Bellew would have been fully informed that Haye's achilles was injured. Added to that, he made it clear in the build up that he was going to take Haye into deep waters and drown him with the belief that Haye couldn't do the 12 rounds. So the first half of the fight isn't really significant in terms of trying to score it imo. It was all about trying to get Haye over committing with swinging (wildly) and missing. Added to that, has Kingpin regularly shows it is very difficult to put a fighter away who is riding the shots whilst leaning on the ropes. It's no coincidence that Bellew put him away easy in the second fight because Haye was coming forward and getting timed in the exchanges. It's a lot easier to knock an opponent out who is coming at you than surviving and leaning on the ropes. I've banged on here, sorry lads. I just think that version of Haye had no right to be in the ring fleecing us for our ppv money. Shoulder injury, back injury, achilles...the list goes on.
As others have basically said, my feeling on both of their fights are that they were scams. They all knew Haye was injured but they wanted the PPV loot, and Haye was broke so had to go through with it. It was a low point in British boxing and they were allowed to get away with it, there was minimal reputational damage for all involved.
Both fights gave Bellew ideas way above his station... called out Wilder after the first one and Andre Ward and Fury after the second. Bellew wouldn’t have had to worry about being left alone if he fought Wilder as he’d have been in a box.
