I'm really unsure on this 1, both have the power to do in the other, Haye is faster and a better athlete, Moorer better technically, Haye's punches can be pretty telegraphed, another thing is Haye's stamina sucks after the first few rounds he can only throw a few shots a round and his power isn't quite what it was earlier in the fight. But I could still see his power catching up to Moorer's chin at some stage.
I remember Haye being flattened when on the verge of winning the Amateur World Championship Heavyweight title. I remember Haye being darn lucky to avoid a knockout defeat to a Super Middleweight (Lolenga Mock). I remember Haye being schooled by The Cat. Haye is brave and determined, he is a smarter fighter than he once was, but if boxing history has taught us anything, it is chins do not grow muscles. Moorer hardly had a Chavaloesque chin himself. But he met better quality opposition than Haye thus far has, and his chin held out better against most.
It wasn't as if Moorer was put down by unskilled hacks - Foreman's record is a bit padded but he was obviously a fearsome banger..... Holyfield could whack in his earlier days and Tua/Sanders both have a decent selection of KO wins over B level fighters. KD's aren't so much of a big deal - it's how you get up (if you do) and respond that matters. As mentioned above Haye was all but gone against a very average super middle, and also in his title winning effort against Mormeck. It's blatantly obvious by watching his fights that he's not confident about his ability to take a shot - especially if the opponent can take his - and that's exactly why he's in no rush to fight Wlad.
Haye's achieved next to NOTHING at heavyweight. He did about the same against the old clumsy Valuev as a 46-year-old Holyfield did. In fact, I thought Holyfield outboxed Valuev more clearly. 37 year old Monte Barret was a has-been fringe contender, 38 year old Ruiz was washed-up too, and not that great to start with. I'm no huge fan of Moorer either, but he proved himself a a much better level over far more fights, and looked a far more solid boxer. I think he'd jab Haye into oblivion and knock him out. He just looks better. [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dS9TRbtlkhs&feature=related[/ame]
I don't like Haye's habit of retreating and giving ground while dangling his hand at his side against this guy. Moorer is way too accurate of an opponent in there and those crisp combos are going to move Haye when he lands. Might look like the Cooper or Stewart fight where MM absorbs and gets hurt, but I tend to think he does real good the other 2:40 of the round.
Recently he's not taken risks, he did on the way up. He actually matched himself pretty tough compared to a lot of fighters, especially when you consider that everybody else in Britain signs with Warren and spends years fighting made to measure opponents. I recall he avenged a couple of amateur defeats over unbeaten guys (Fragomeni and Johanssen I think) and they were competitive fights. Also he fast tracked to the cruiserweight title. Enzo Maccarinelli was seen as a big risk at the time, he's a very big puncher and we all know about Haye's punch resistance.
I was thinking about this very matchup recently, weird enough. They share a lot of similarities, Moorer is sort of a southpaw Haye with less athleticism but with better technique and slightly more durability. Stylewise Moorer is a lot more flatfooted, though. Moorer has shown that he can take a big punch from legitimate HW's and fire back and win, the closest Haye has come to doing that is beating a 38 year old John Ruiz who was never a big puncher. Like Russell pointed out, Haye can get very sloppy when finishing. He leaves more open holes than ever and he smothers his punches, that's something you CANNOT do against Michael Moorer. When Moorer got tagged his natural reaction was to fire back with everything he had and this could mean the end for Haye, this isn't a 38 year old John Ruiz. I see Moorer winning by KO but with some scary moments.
Haye at crusierweight and heavyweight by ko and whithin 6 rounds, he had nearly all advantages, size, athleticism, speed, power, head movement, maybe not as skilled of a boxer, but they weren't far apart in that department, i think he would've just been too big fast and powerful
Hayes no superman but I've afeeling that he'd take out Moorer fast. And I'm talking minutes in to the fight fast. Haye wouldn't want Moorer getting confident and taking over with his Jab, hed want to get MM gone. And I think he'd succeed.
