Pretty sure you will find the towel came in after Haye had got up and just about made the count. Pretty quick count also, didn't get the benefit and extra time Benn got against McClellan, that's for sure. I think at that stage McGuigan was hoping he wouldn't make it, he seemed almost afraid to make the decision. For me, once Haye has gone through the excruciating pain of getting up through the ropes with a ruptured achilles, you should at least give him another 20 or 30 seconds.
I agree that he seemed afraid to make the decision. The ref did the right thing though. Lots of fighters make it up in time for the 10 count but the ref decides he should stop it anyway for the health of the fighter. His corner wouldn't do the right thing so he had to. He was taking a beating and unable to defend himself and he was behind on the scorecards.
Just looked at it again and it still looks to me that the ref only waved it off after he saw the towel go in, not before.
Haye was flat footed and weak leggrf from the off. Reminded me of a faded tyson against danny Williams. Absolute shell.
You're probably right. I don't understand why it wasn't stopped sooner. Nobody wants to see a fighter taking a beating like that. The fight was won, it was almost senseless. I appreciate that Haye was trying to set traps for him against the ropes and credit to him for trying but he was never going to muster enough power or timing from a knackered achilles and his corner should have had the balls to acknowledge that.
I think the ref probably realised that Haye is in his last chance saloon. May well be the last time he's in the ring. Ref and Shane probably both felt that they'd let him go out on his own terms and give him every chance to pull something incredible out of the bag. Had that been a younger fighter, say Anthony Joshua, he would never have been left in there in that state.
I agree mate, AJ would have put a wounded Haye to sleep v swiftly. He's is a genuine heavyweight though. Bellew was a cruiserweight with a broken hand.
Your 100% right m8, very good post. Bellew has admitted in the past he doesn't think he would beat a prime Haye but Haye was lying saying this was a new improved version and he would break down over course if fight. Bellew was 100% right. If Haye went into fight injured it was him who conned his fans and as you say Bellew would have won anyway.
I was down on Haye as well before this but all is forgiven, he proved himself. people keep saying he had no choice, but he did, he could have called it quits, I seen examples of fighters quitting and melting down when pressured to show bravery. the bottom line is he fought with a career ending injury. what I liked most about it was he was still trying to win, not survive, he knew even with one leg there was a chance and he kept going until he got pulled out. Fitting in a way if its his last fight, that after all the let downs he goes out showing tremendous balls.
It didn't look like Bellew was giving Haye much of a beating. Bellew coasted a few rounds and when he pressed an attack Haye was at least pretty good at slipping and weaving on the ropes. The apparent one-sidedness was more a case of Haye being unable to fight back well. Bellew would absolutely safe at range so he just sat back and gave Haye opportunity to quit but Haye didn't. Bellew did enough to win the rounds and made sure he got in some hard shots here and there but it wasn't a bad beating. Haye wasn't shipping much punishment.
As evidenced by the state of his face, not a mark on it. Don't rate Bellew as much of a puncher at heavyweight on this evidence.
He's totally still yet to prove that he is a massive puncher, even at Cruiserweight. Makabu had been 1st round KO'd before. Couldn't KO a LHW in Cleverly even when Clev was dead on his feet. Only KO'd Flores after low blowing him very hard. Couldn't put a dent in a one legged Haye. He's not a big puncher. Gassiev is a big puncher at CW. Bellew is just a dogged, boxer who tries hard. Underrated boxing skills but he certainly does not carry POWWAH.