Given how enthusiastic Haye appears to be to fight either of the Klitschko brothers, I think we can safely assume that Chagaev will be one of his next opponents (if H doesn't retire to take care of his wife / baby etc.). If this were to happen, and irrespective of how you look at it, Chagaev would either be his toughest HW challenge or no.2 if you rank Ruiz higher. Unlike many of the fanboys, and having seen the Chagaev vs Meehan fight, I don't think it will be a walk in the park for Haye. If only, because Chagaev has great defense and if Haye's speed doesn't neutralize it he will eventually connect... What makes this potential contest even more interesting is that Chagaev is a southpaw. If you trust boxrec (and if I checked correctly), then of the fighters Haye faced in his pro career, only one - Oleksandr Hurow - was a southpaw (though the stance of some of his opponents is not indicated). Haye disposed of Hurow in one round - so that would seem to bode him well. But a slightly larger sample might better indicate how well he can be expected to do against leftys. So to those how have followed Haye's amateur career or know more than boxrec about some of this early pro opponents: How does he do against soutphaws? Thanks.
The fight should be interesting. As long as Chagaev doesn't freeze like he did against Wlad it should make for an interesting fight for a couple of rounds. Chagaev has a decent chin, good stamina and is fast enough to hit Haye with the left straight counter. Chagaev's punch is nothing to write home about but that is probably equalized by Haye's less than rock solid chin.
He was hitting Meehan pretty hard tonight, and Haye's chin still hasn't really been tested at HW. Chagaev showed he was very good at closing distance tonight, he will cause big problems for Haye
For the number of fans Haye still has, the response to this is pretty crippling. Tells you something about how knowledgeable they are, I guess. Anybody?
How could anybody rank ruiz higher, are you kidding me? Arguably he was never better Than chagaev even in his so-called "prime". And in the haye fight he was clearly shot fighting unnaturarly for him which helped haye to do his job. Chagaev probably would be Haye's Biggest challange in his WHOLE pro career. However i think Chagaev is past it and wasnt impressed by his performance against meehan.
Haye will pick him off using superior movement and handspeed. The jab will be used a lot and then he will land right hands around Chagaev's high guard on the way to stopping him late in a less than competitive fight.
Haye is overhyped. He's an ok heavyweight in a time of absolute bums and he's getting way more credit than he deserves.
Haye would go in and bomb away from the off like most of his fights , ruiz held up well and took the early punishment, i dont think chagaev would.
