He needs to beat the usyk/gassiev winner to enter this conversation imo. I have been impressed with him in the haye fights but he needs to do a bit more yet.
I still don't like the stoppage. Haye was hurt and unsteady but still throwing. Same matchroom ref that shafted Takam.
Dude, If I'm on my feet and throwing back I want to keep fighting. My corner want me to keep fighting. Matchroom refs would not have been hired for one Rocky movie. Balboa would never win a bout.
He got back “on his feet” and was going the funky chicken dance twice. He was in no fit state to continue.
I disagree mate. That ref is also the same joker that created the Froch Groves 1 farce. Haye is on his feet and throwing. Bell was 40 secs away. I reckon Haye makes the bell.
I don’t think haye made the count just prior to the stoppage. Watch it again and look at it. I don’t think anyone would have had any problems with the fight being stopped there.
Not sure where you're from, I'm guessing US? but here in the UK there's been a series of very bad injuries and fatalities in boxing, Gerald McLellan, Michael Watson to more recently Mike Towell and Nick Blackwell. The result has been referees far quicker to intervene when a fighter is taking punishment. I think that's a good thing but not everyone agrees. I understand US fans being surprised when stoppages over here are a lot earlier than they'd expect. It's not always the result of some dastardly plot to cheat a fighter, just a wish to reduce any avoidable injuries in a sport which is dangerous enough.
All I'm saying is if I was Haye I'm still throwing punches and on my feet. I've been down three times but I'm still capable of landing my own kd on Bellew and recovering. That joker matchroom ref would not ref me vs any matchroom fighter. The Froch farce is all the evidence anyone needs.
Dude, save me the waggy finger and lecture on irrelevant bygone middleweights. Haye was hurt but still on his feet and throwing. Was a matchroom stoppage for me.
If he makes the bell then he doesn't make the next one. And he ships a ton of punishment in that time. Why let a fight go on when the result is only going to go one way?
He wasn't really throwing back, unless waving your arms about while getting pasted against the ropes is considered fighting. The ref was well within his rights to stop it the moment Haye dropped like a wet sack in the fifth. He was giving Haye the benefit of the doubt by even giving him those few seconds to continue.
The problem you have is Haye was still able to defend himself and punch back. I just watched the stoppage again and Bellew threw four punches that all MISSED. How is that a tko? It's a matchroom tko. The same thing happens all the time with this mob.
Nonsense dude. I have seen fighters in worse states than Haye turn around fights, we all have. And he was still on his feet and throwing. If it was an am fight I'd agree with you - good stoppage.