Haye announces assault on the heavyweights

Article on BBN regarding hayes plans for the HW scene, GBP and his new promotional company. Some of the non-british posters may not have seen this yet....


http://www.britishboxing.net/news_3489-Haye-announces-assault-on-the-heavyweightsincluding-promoters.html

David Haye and Setanta Sports today announced their ambitions to achieve domination of the world heavyweight division with a strategy that is as bold as it is exciting.

The broadcaster informed press gathered at London's O2 Arena this lunchtime that they have signed a four-fight deal with Hayemaker Boxing which will see them exclusively televise the charismatic fighter's attempts to achieve at heavyweight what he has already managed at cruiserweight – undisputed champion status.

The contract runs from 1 September 2008 to 31 December 2009. As well as showing Haye's fights, the broadcaster (in the guise of presenter Paul Dempsey) made clear that they have the rights to show six Hayemaker Boxing shows over this period, each of which will have at the very least a British title on the card.

To this end, Haye and his manager Adam Booth were accompanied by fighters new to their stable – including double ABA champion George Groves, young pro Josh Wale and the most seasoned and decorated of the bunch, British light-middleweight champion Ryan Rhodes.

Hayemaker Boxing has also linked up with Golden Boy Promotions, presumably to seek broadcasting to America and beyond as the Setanta deal covers only the UK and Ireland.

The bold plan for Haye was outlined in no uncertain terms:

Autumn 2008 – fight against a top ten ranked heavyweight
Early 2009 – another fight against a top ten ranked opponent
Mid 2009 – fight whoever is regarded as the dominant world heavyweight champion (at this moment, Wladimir Klitschko)
Late 2009 – Haye's first defence of his heavyweight title (“all being well”)

All fights will take place at the O2 Arena.

Paul Dempsey said, “David has the potential to be a huge British sporting icon,” before adding to general bemusement “providing he doesn't get knocked out along the way!”

“He has the potential to electrify world heavyweight scene at a time when it needs it,” added Dempsey.

A beaming Haye talked of how he had forced the hand of Don King by making it very difficult for his then number one cruiserweight, Jean Marc Mormeck, to avoid him and stated that he would pursue the same policy as regards Wladimir Klitschko – whom Haye has publicly challenged.

“I definitely, truly believe I'm the type of fighter who puts it on the line,” said Haye, before rounding on his now fellow heavyweights.

“It's been one fat guy fighting a fatter guy and it's a disgrace…I'm going to show these fat slobs what boxing is all about – athletisism.”

Haye finished by saying he was “going to finish up where Lennox Lewis left off.”

The normally cynical members of the press were so bowled over by the articulate, confident speech that they found themselves giving the boxer a round of applause.

Adam Booth said, “It's going to be an assault on the heavyweight division – it's going to happen fast,” and he referred to the deal with Oscar de la Hoya's Golden Boy Promotions as an ‘incredible alliance'.

Perhaps the highlight of the whole conference was a withering, unequivocal message sent by Booth to other promoters – and it seemed obvious that he had one particular promoter in mind.

“We are putting promoters on notice. There is a new entity, a new ideal, here for the fighters and only for the fighters. And we want fighters who are here for the fans.”

In closing, and deliberately without any subtlety at all, Booth mentioned that this new entity would see fighters - as David Haye himself has in exemplary fashion - maintain control of their own destiny and receive their true rewards.

These are certainly exciting times for British boxing fans.