So let's have some Haye-Valuev breakdowns.

I think Valuev will win a UD/SD12.

Deciding factors:

* Is Valuevs punch output high enough? Does he punch more than 25-30 jabs per round?
* Is Valuev effective in tieing Haye up in close quarters and leaning on him?
* How does Haye's stamina hold up should it go the distance? I'll be looking for his footwork to break down around round 8-9, making him a sitting duck for Valuev's right.

My hat is off to Haye if he wins this fight, no matter how.

 

i think Haye wins a close UD

Deciding factors:

*Can Haye get enough leverage on his shots, aiming nearly a foot higher than himself?
*Can Haye be mobile enough to out manouvre Valuevs slow shots?
*Will Valeuv be able to tire Haye out enough by leaning on him?
*Valuevs ability to pick his shots instead of wasting energy, same applies to Haye
*Hayes ability to take some of Valuevs shots.
*And can Haye go the full 12?

All in all i think Haye can do these things, but theres no way hes knocking Valuev out.

 

I got Valuev by TKO. It will be awful hard for Haye to generate leverage on his shots, especially since he tends to fight from a crouched position. His stamina is still a big question mark as is his chin at this weight. What I see as the deciding factor though is that Haye, while possessing fast hands, is not fleet footed. His footwork can often be mundane and ponderous, and he has a tendency to back himself up onto the ropes and into corners due to lacking great lateral movement. You cannot beat Valuev standing in front of him, you need to able to move effectively for 12 rounds, and I just don't think Haye can.

 

I just see this as a bad matchup for Haye. He's not great on the inside, his footwork is weak, and stamina is going to be crucial because Valuev has a size differential that allows him use tactics to take this fight into later rounds.

Haye's best bet is to go for broke and come out winging huge "go-for-broke" overhand rights. Approach the fight as a 4 rounder. Forget about going deep.

Valuev meanwhile has excellent stamina, a decent jab, plodding footwork, a decent chin, and reasonable fundamentals.

Haye has to be very wary of punches to the back of his head. The bob and weave tactic against such a tall opponent could leave him vulnerable.

I see this fight as a barnburner very early then transitioning to a methodical beat down of Haye by Valuev. Stamina and questions about Haye's chin don't make a decision likely.

Valuev by TKO or KO in 4 to 7 rounds.

 

I'll be routing for Haye but I predict Valuev to stop him late with Haye gassing out.

 

I think Haye in a close UD.

-Can Haye move around the jab?
-Can Haye get out of the danger zone in time where speed isn't such a factor?
-Will Valuevs punch output be enough to get the nod?
-Will Haye tire going into the later rounds?

First 3 rounds I think Haye will take at least 2 of them, no problem. He will be comparitively quick and agile and make Valuev look like a plodder. As this fight wears on I see Haye wearing out and doing everything he can to stumble over the finish line as the winner.

This fight is already funny.

 

Haye ..... if

His power travels up sufficiently to hurt Valuev , there is no way he is sparking him out with one shot but he needs to be able to gain his respect

Becase ..

He cannot afford to be walked down and leaned on the entire fight , i dont see how his stamina will hold up to that.

Also will Valuev cut ? This may be a factor I can see a stoppage but on accumulated damage , Valuev stopped on his feet.

First three rounds

Haye being Haye I think he wont be able to resist trying to smash Valuev out in round 1 , it wont happen , so hopefully he will quickly get into a rythym of hitting and moving.

With any luck by the end of round 3 big Valuev will already be looking a bit bashed up and more importantly discouraged.

 

Who do you think will win?

Haye, KO by round 6

What do you think the deciding factors will be?

Haye’s speed and explosiveness
Good planning by Haye and Adam Booth to neutralise Valuev’s height advantage
Valuev’s difficulty with lateral movement and his lack of talent

What do you think the first three rounds will look like?

1 – Valuev’s under-rated jab keeps Haye outside, but Haye’s speed and reflexes keep him safe. He keeps low and moves side to side, jabbing to get inside, before getting some light shots to Valuev’s mid-section towards the end of the round. Valuev takes the round with the jab.

2 – Haye has a better handle on the distance and starts to step around Valuev’s jab, step inside and get decent body shots off. He uses his own long uppercut to test Valuev’s defense, but remains wary of the giant’s overhand right. There might be some fleeting exchanges and some clinching. Even round.

3 – Haye continues the process he began in the second, using body work to soften Valuev’s defence. Haye’s low left hand draws Valuev’s right, but Haye’s speed allows him to slip the shot and land that uppercut. Valuev will be shaken, but clinches to keep out of trouble, Haye continues diligently working the body for another opportunity. The jab remains an obstacle for him, but it’s Haye round.

 

The biggest basis for my reasoning is Haye has to fight out of character for him to win a decision and he's never really displayed that ability to adjust. The other factor is how does Haye respond if his power shots don't work their magic. There's nothing worse than hitting an opponent and seeing them still standing in front of you. That just saps you.

To beat someone like Valuev you have to circle him and get those angles where you're punching at him from about 45º's. If Haye wants to bend the rules a bit go for full 90º*angles if the ref lets him get away with it. Staying in front of Valuev, whether bent of upright is dangerous.

 

I think Haye will win, on points. I think he's smart enough to know that trying to knock out a guy that much bigger with a good chin will be almost impossible, so he'll adopt a stick and move stratedgy, with enough activity to make sure he wins the rounds on foreign soil but not so much he has to stay within Valuevs range for more than a few seconds at a time. Valuev will be too slow to keep up. I don't think Haye'll delilver the spectacular performance he needs to, but he'll win the fight.

 

Valuev has a head the size of a small car.