Is Wladimir over the hill

Wladimir is 34 or 35, that's getting old for a fighter whatever way you slice it.
And if his injury was real, that's not a great sign either. The layoffs never help.
But I've got to assume he's well-preserved - he's always in shape and his style has kept him away from fighting the career-shortening wars that many fighters engage in.

Old or not, he should KO Haye.

 

Patriotism has never affected my pick in a boxing match. I think Haye is a live underdog and will be betting accordingly.

If there is a glass jaw in that ring it belongs to Wlad.

 

Would you care to wager me Avatar rights for 3 months then?

Wlad does not take a big punch, but he's 6'6", very skilled, and very powerful. No one can get past his jab, and he has learned how to clinch is he needs to. Haye can not fight like Wlad, and appears less stamina.

Haye might even have a worse jaw than Wald. He just had not had many fights yet, and careful matchmaking at heavy. I do not think chins improve significantly from amateurs to pros. In Haye's case he was sparked in one round in the amateurs, has a small head and not exactly a thick neck.

 

So has Ray Leonard:huh
As a pro no one has had Haye down for more than a count of 8 .
He took some massive shots from Thompson before being stopped on his feet,Thompson has a very healthy 62.5% ko record.
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9icQiE0scw"]www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9icQiE0scw[/ame]

Jimmy Ellis was dropped by Ruben Carter as a middleweight ,but proved to be pretty durable when he went up weights.

 

Haye's chin looked average at cruiserweight, he was rocked or decked by some small guys.
And he's been untested at heavyweight - even so, Barrett knocked him down.

Haye might have a glass jaw or Herbie Hide syndrome for all we know.

 

I think Wlad has had sort of a second career, similar to Lewis did. I dont think hes over the hill.
Haye is the big question mark and I think Wlad is going to do some serious damage to Haye. I think Haye has a shaky chin and all tha speed advantage hes shown against mediocre opposition is all going to be out the window against Wlad. I see a big righthand ending Haye early.

 

Yeah, he's very possibly way out of his depth. He's stepping up several levels when (if !) he gets in a ring with Wlad.

The only way Haye wins is by some amazing display or power, speed, courage or aggression, and a quick win at that. So, in that way, he has to be a revelation and show us something we haven't seen from him before, or everything we've seen him do times ten. It's possible he's really the goods - and Wlad has been stopped early before.
But it's certainly not the likely scenario based on the records and facts and performances so far.
It requires a great deal of FAITH or HOPE to figure Haye isn't just another average Wlad opponent who's only difference is his powers of self-promotion.

 

Right, its almost like he and his team feel the same way and have promoted this fight as a cash out to make the most money possible before hes exposed. I would be very surprised if he shows us something special, even if he manages to win quickly.

 

I agree with you about the 'cashing in', but I also think Haye is cocky enough, and talented enough, and confident enough, to have convinced himself he's going to win by KO. I mean, he can hit, I'll give him that. Problem for him is, Wlad hits too, and boxes - and beats men of Haye's caliber twice a year, in boring one-sided fashion. And Haye's intelligent enough to know all this.
Haye's thinking of life after boxing - win, lose or draw.
And, yeah, it's better to lose to the best - and walk away rich - than to lose to someone ordinary for peanuts.

 

Wlad is so quick with his left jab and left check hook, and I see that being a big factor to setup the righthand that ends Haye. I dont think Haye can take Wlad's power. Maybe he will surprise all of us, who knows.

 

Haye's probably the best puncher Wlad has faced since Sanders, so his chances of providing the shock result are more serious than, say, Eddie Chambers'.

But for every 'puncher's chance' I give Haye, I have to give Wlad the same chance and more .... and that's just for the "one fight-turning punch" type chances. So, at best, Haye has an equal puncher's chance to Wlad's puncher's chance.
In every other department Wlad is better, which allows him to set up and multiply his chances of finishing Haye at any time.

Haye's task is daunting. He really has to go all out for landing an early big punch, and that seems to 'safest', most rational strategy. Hopefully he'll give it a go on the night.
Seems like the wrong fighter to bet your money on though.

I fear that all these months - years ! - of build-up and pre-amble are leading towards another boring Klitschko win though, a thoroughly forgettable fight.
It's the uncertainty that keeps us going though.



:good

 

I just want to say i'm enjoying reading the intelligent discussion between Unforgiven & lefthook. :good

 

Thanks.

:good

..... and what say you on Haye's chances (realistically and seriously) ?

Do you see him pulling off the early KO ?