Appreciate it feels like the build up to this fight is going on and on with the first fight plus the cancellation but quite looking forward to this one... The press conference was pretty entertaining, Haye playing it cool and Bellew coming out with some crackers...even though he gets on my nerves he did crack me up... Hearn reckons Haye will quit on his stool...whatever happens I think it’s clear that won’t happen Haye playing the humble card but did predict a violent knockout...also in post fight interviews saying if he doesn’t get him out of there in 2 or 3 rounds then he can forget Joshua and other big fights... I think Haye, even if faded, has enough to beat Bellew, if he boxes and is patient the KO will come at some point...but I think he’s failing to accept styles make fights and if Bellew is coy and doesn’t fall for the traps he’s unlikely to catch him early...that doesn’t necessarily mean he can’t give some of the bigger guys problems (though personally I think he’s done at world level but might be wrong). Haye couldn’t miss with the jab to the body in the first fight, so soften him up with that, get the rounds in the bag and go from there...
As wild as Haye was, he was clearly winning on points at the time of the injury and, as you said, the jab was landing to the body with ease. I think Haye deserves credit for not once pointing to the injury as the reason for defeat. He genuinely didn't even make mention of it yesterday.
i really lack interest in this fight. if haye wins he will try to get the aj fight but still doubt that will happen. bellew retires either way i imagine. I detested the haye we saw in first build up but looks like he's coming across more humble. bellew needs knocking down a peg but i do think he's a decent bloke (albeit carried away with his affiliation with matchroom over past 18 months)
Think one big problem Haye has is his footwork seemed to be a shadow of its former self. In first fight pre 8njury he fought like Eubsnk v Groves, jumping in with bad footwork loading up all the time sending wild looping easy to read punches (though unlike Eubank Haye has power). Haye needs to work his way in before unloading. I thought press confetencecwss funny Haye playing an act quite well Bellew coming out eithbgoid patter trying to bring Hayes real character out.
Not sure I like this humble version of haye tbh...starting to come across like a man that knows his times up. Part of me thinks it is an act as bellew says the other part thinks its a last hurrah..that last fight helped him accept he,s not what he genuinely thought he was before that first fight. I don't think he thinks he,s going in to lose..hes not at that stage yet...but hes starting to accept...the stage hes at in his career. And the stage is a 50/50 fight against bellew. I think bellew will beat him again this time. Agree with Moog....his footworks a mess....its been a mess since mcguigan took over. Similar to eubank junior...he doesnt know what to do with his feet nowadays. Similar to eubank I think that's down to injury as well with haye. Something stopping them from wanting to fight just inside range. The attacks begin from too far from the outside. There's something stopping both of them fighting from just in range. I say its both due to injuries.
Haye was injured during camp and went into the ring injured in the first fight. He flew out numerous times to the doctor in Germany who specialises in Achilles injuries. Including a last visit about 3/4 days before the fight. It cant be coincidence that he went to see an achillies expert a few times and the fight was in doubt of going ahead amid rumours in the days building up. Put that together with the very flat footed public workout, the slow cumbersome footwork in the fight and then obv his achillies rupturing in the fight.
This. Can't believe people are still acting as though Haye was 100% going into the fight. It was open knowledge before the fight that he had an injury (Germany trip - this was made public ffs) and Bellew even asked Haye in fight week on camera "how's your Achilles?" Don't judge his footwork on that fight. Why do you think Haye came out throwing bombs from the beginning? He knew he was on borrowed time and gambled going into the fight thinking he could put Bellew away half injured early in the fight.
This is the problem now Haye is never fit. He was a fast fighter, who adopted sitting on the back foot looking to draw leads and then hammering home big fast shots. Then reset and re-load. The speed has gone that's there for all to see and possibly the reflexes as well so opposition fighters are able to land or push him back. If he's fully fit he should win - But Bellew is experinced he hung around in the first fight only engaged as and when he had too was happy to go to the ropes and watch for the big shots coming - Haye if fit might be able to get the punches to target quicker but that's no guarantee. I see a similar pattern to the first fight Haye pressing and Bellew fighting in spurts. A fit Haye wins one way or another - i just see him fading late and Bellew getting to him again.
Achilles, shoulder reconstruction, inactivity (similar for Bellew, much more so for Haye)...this is something like 30-40% of the original Haye. This is all that is left. Mentally, like Micky said to Rocky in the 3rd movie...”you got civilised”. His head is in promotion, management...he’s a clever lad, he’s now a businessman not a fighter. I think he believes he will win, but I reckon he doesn’t know if he can win ‘well’. Winning well in his head is knocking his opponent spark out. On the other side, you have Bellew who needs to make every fight an emotional battle. With Haye acting all humble, it’s driving Bellew mad. He needs that emotional war to push himself to the limit. This fight for me has got that bit of a Cotto-Ali feel to it. It’s like it’s Haye’s last (unofficial) fight. When Bellew is still stood in front of him in the 8th-9th round, and he knows he can’t put him away like he would have done years ago, he will aim to just see out the fight. Personally, i’m not excited about it. The GGG-Canelo fight is the one i can’t wait for.
He cant mate, hes been there(excuses) to many times before. This injury was plain to see from round 1 too, and when it finally went so did his chances of winning. Bellew was tired too from nothing. I'm a big Haye fan, i'm not cussing him in the slightest
I am going for Haye to KO Bellew within 6 , this has all the makings of a trilogy fight if Haye flattens Bellew. Bellew is trying to get under his skin but it aint working this time. Haye by VIOLENT KO !
Hope Haye destroys him as (keep it quiet) he's my favourite boxer and I'd love him to have a final tilt against a Joshua or Wilder and end on a high. Trying to convince myself he's keeping quiet because he knows how well he's shaping up behind the scenes and is going to let his boxing do the talking this time around but that's not something I say with confidence. He could well be finished and just in it for a last pay cheque knowing he's done. People will hate on this fight but still watch or at least be eager to find out what happened.