Hayes reputation with the public

I'm sure his reputation has taken a bit of a knock; Joe Public isn't completely stupid - in the run up to the fight with Harrison the same friends who questioned me about Haye's sanity in taking on such a "beast" in Valuev, were saying to me this time: "this is a bloody mismatch isn't it?"

Didn't stop them buying the fight though:roll:

But they know they've been duped.

Haye will be back on top of things if and when he fights one of the Klits. What worries me more is the lack of preparation these fights are giving Haye in the run up to potential bouts with the brothers. I'd rather he'd have taken a more sterner test or two.

 

REp has defo gone up with the public, only down with haters and 'internet' experts.
Where as harrison's rep is fcuked beyond repair

 

There's some flak but not much that won't blow over with a good pick of opponent next (particularly a Klitschko, finally). The fight was poor but he got his trademark explosive knockout.

For Harrison, on the other hand, the flak is worse and it's going to stick. He has history of this kind of lack of effort and his rep has taken another big blow.

 

Wholeheartedly agree. Haye has been a disgrace ever since calling out the Klitschkos and then doing everything in his power to avoid them.

And then he has the gall to suggest they fight nobodies. It's ****ing astonishing he gets away with it

 

He's tumbled IMO, not just since the Audley farce.

He stopped Wladimir in a shopping centre, embarresed him and called him out. Then pulled out when Wlad signed to fight.

Then the same with Vitali.

So he signs to fight Valuev and runs from him all night after promosing to knock him out.

Then he fights Ruiz. Fair enough. Mandatory.

But next he fights Audley. It's a complete joke, possibly fixed, bet on himself, carried Audley for 3 rounds. Then denies betting on himself.

He's really gone down imo.

 

you got the sun now putting up videos of the fight possibly being fixed, and with the way it ended with haye's comments about him betting on himself, i think the worst is yet to come. there could be an investigation on how much money actually went on that round, and if theres a real big lump put on, then they could trace where and how that money was put on. haye's now on TV sounding stupid about why he said he betted on himself when he's now saying he didn't. i think haye is now quickly turning into a joke. he needs to fight the klits to restore some respect.

 

A "new low" for Haye. He still has his fanboys but he really needs to make a fight with the one of the Brothers Grimm to repair the damage.

 

I can only speak for myself.

His credibility is gone. His legacy is damaged. He has time to fix it, but still the whole farce has left a bad taste in my mouth.

 

Well, The Sun are owned by News Corp, the same guys who own Sky. So I’d take the ‘fix’ story for being a way of milking more from a complete nothing of a fight.

But as for his reputation, while most people I’ve spoken to think it’s a farce, they really blame Harrison. Because ultimately, Haye backed up his boast and Harrison didn’t.

People have short memories – and anything less than Haye and Booth gang-raping Cheryl Cole will be unlikely to stick in their minds. All they’ll see is the brutal finish in highlight reels and they’ll move back to watching football.

Then Haye will appear on another PPV and people will just discuss that awful fight like it was a distant memory.

Sad, but true.

 

I watched it in a pub and people were not happy with a) the lack of action in the first 2 rounds and b) the pathetically easy knockout win. But whether they remember that by the time his next fight is on (in what, 8 or 9 months?) is another matter.

 

That was not a brutal finish. Audley was stopped on his feet ffs. You have a habit of glossing over the truth when it comes to Haye.

 

As said Harrison seems to be catching most of the blame for the fight from Joe Public. I don't think its really affected Hayes status much either way.

 

To be honest all this did was allow the general public in on what the boxing fraternity already knew. "Shouldnt he fight a Klitschko/someone with a pulse next?" People will still turn out for his next fight after he says it'll be as 1-sided as bummin a crippled swiss puppy dog and opinion, as is the fickle way of the general fan, will depend on his next performance.

His numbers support amongst boxing fans has never been huge to begin with remember it was only 4 years ago he was still at the York Hall, needed FW to sell the **** outta the Enzo fight, gave away tickets to the Barrett 'fight' and needed to go to Europe for his biggest fights and titles wins. The respect he earned from me personally for doing that and initially being ready to go to the lion's den and fight whoever has dwindled of late with the klitschko cop outs and latest opponent choice but cant question he's a top class exciting fighter on his day.

My questions this guys- if Haye had a bigger following from genuine boxing fans as opposed to casuals/celeb culutre malarky, would a Klitschko fight have already happened? My take is that if the majority of your fan base cries out for a fight, you gotta take it. As his fan base has switched to general public has this allowed him to side-track the brothers longer?

 

Not sure why Audley Harrison is getting blamed for being Audley Harrison. We knew he wasn't up to the task. Haye knew he wasn't up to the task. Sky knew it too. Yet the fight was still made. You can hardly blame Audley for taking it. For me, the blame rests squarely with Booth and Haye. The fight was a joke from the start and they should be seriously embarassed for making. Okay, fine, you don't have to fight the best every single and it's okay to make a bit of money before you fight a Klitschko, but Audley Harrison - ffs - :roll: - essentially a domestic journeyman...