Was Haye beating Bellew in the first fight before the injury?

Discussion in 'British Boxing Forum' started by kevin-novice, Dec 14, 2023.

  1. kevin-novice

    kevin-novice Active Member banned Full Member

    Joined:
    Mar 19, 2016
    Messages:
    772
    Likes Received:
    404
    Is that established as fact?

    2nd fight tony stormed it , unsure if Haye had hidden injuries that time.
     
  2. Throwback

    Throwback "Somebody wake up Hicks" Full Member

    Joined:
    Jul 11, 2020
    Messages:
    804
    Likes Received:
    1,357
    Iirc, he went over to Germany to get his leg looked at, it was kept on the down low, to keep the PPV figures up.

    He was winning, but I remember thinking that from the first bell, he didn't look "right", either physically, or with his timing.


    I remember having a sinking feeling that the incredibly annoying Bellew was going to take it late , and win.


    The rematch was pretty pointless imo
     
  3. kevin-novice

    kevin-novice Active Member banned Full Member

    Joined:
    Mar 19, 2016
    Messages:
    772
    Likes Received:
    404
    Rematch should have not been ppv.
     
  4. Bob Flaps

    Bob Flaps Boxing Addict Full Member

    Joined:
    Mar 30, 2019
    Messages:
    4,096
    Likes Received:
    5,759
    Only had half the buys too. Going on what Bellew said about his earnings recently - that he doubled his money from one Haye fight to the next - he must have had a huge share of the PPV second time around given how much less it would have grossed.
     
  5. Throwback

    Throwback "Somebody wake up Hicks" Full Member

    Joined:
    Jul 11, 2020
    Messages:
    804
    Likes Received:
    1,357
    I agree
     
  6. dannyboy147

    dannyboy147 Boxing Addict Full Member

    Joined:
    Jun 2, 2010
    Messages:
    4,800
    Likes Received:
    1,386
    Haye was clearly injured walking into the ring.
     
    Beale likes this.
  7. destruction

    destruction Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

    Joined:
    Mar 26, 2009
    Messages:
    16,656
    Likes Received:
    13,211
    In the first fight. I remember Haye edging it in the early rounds but only because Bellew was cautious of his power early and showing him respect.

    Once Bellew realised Haye was only half fit and couldn’t get any leverage on his punches he went for it and pretty much threw Haye around the ring like a rag doll.

    There isn’t any possibility of Haye winning that 1st fight.
     
    Beale likes this.
  8. KO_King

    KO_King Horizontal Heavyweight Full Member

    Joined:
    Apr 16, 2023
    Messages:
    716
    Likes Received:
    1,520
    I remember thinking it was pretty even in that first fight, with Bellew coming on stronger after the halfway mark, once Haye's injury was clear.
    When the fight was made I remember being pretty surprised. I thought Haye would flatten him - even at that late stage in his career (just too big and powerful). I considered it a fairly odd and pointless fight.
    Obviously credit to Tony for the win(s). But Haye was finished - he should never have come back. No doubt in my mind a prime Haye wins this fairly comfortably.
     
    Furey and Wizbit1013 like this.
  9. Boxing Gloves

    Boxing Gloves Boxing Addict Full Member

    Joined:
    Jul 19, 2004
    Messages:
    3,498
    Likes Received:
    1,551
    Haye was winning clearly until the point of injury in the first fight. He looked awful in the second fight.
     
  10. Beale

    Beale Boxing Addict Full Member

    Joined:
    Feb 13, 2023
    Messages:
    5,869
    Likes Received:
    10,478
    Haye walked very slow in the ringwalk for all his 'comeback' fights and wore a giant white nappy to deflect attention from his limp.

    Toe Haye's legacy since moving up to Heavyweight is a master conman who fleeced all those Box Office mugs time and again.
     
    naranja, gurmon, jcairns1 and 3 others like this.
  11. Wig

    Wig Boxing Addict Full Member

    Joined:
    May 31, 2010
    Messages:
    6,779
    Likes Received:
    4,218
    Just checked and it is not established fact.

    In FACT. There are no established facts, except this one.

    Which means there are no established facts.

    Except that fact.

    Which means...
     
  12. Redbeard7

    Redbeard7 Boxing Addict Full Member

    Joined:
    Oct 9, 2022
    Messages:
    3,254
    Likes Received:
    2,279
    Haye was either 4-1 or 3-2 up after 5 rounds but Bellew was being ultra-cautious, looking to drag the dangerous Haye into the later rounds where his body and stamina wouldn't hold up. Haye's body probably broke down earlier and more radically than Bellew or his team were anticipating. I wouldn't say that Haye was "winning the fight" as Bellew wasn't overly concerned about losing some early rounds.
     
  13. pow

    pow Boxing Addict Full Member

    Joined:
    Apr 26, 2014
    Messages:
    4,841
    Likes Received:
    3,989
    The whole show was a con. Especially for the betting. Scandalous. Walking Haye smashes any version of Bellew every day of the week and twice on Sundays.
     
    Jolly Roger likes this.
  14. rezzer

    rezzer Active Member Full Member

    Joined:
    Feb 11, 2009
    Messages:
    1,086
    Likes Received:
    1,221
    Can’t believe anything Bellew says, remember after the Usyk fight he was going home never to be seen again.
     
  15. Bob Flaps

    Bob Flaps Boxing Addict Full Member

    Joined:
    Mar 30, 2019
    Messages:
    4,096
    Likes Received:
    5,759
    Even Bellew thinks this. The casuals would never admit it but Bellew got incredibly lucky at the end of his career and the first 4-5 rounds against Usyk was probably as good as he got.