I don't want to take anything away from Tony, he showed how tough he was in this fight. but his post fight press conference bothered me. He seemed to be talking like he beat a healthy Haye with no injury but its a harsh reality that he beat a hampered fighter. this was no silly injury that could be ignored, it effected the fight. For Tony to sit there and say he walked Haye down and was hurting him, its a bit laughable. Him and Hearn expect people to completely ignore the injury lol. he won the fight but there are questions. I think the only way to erase those questions is for Bellew to agree to that rematch. Haye probably cant make another training camp, but for Bellew to show willing it looks a lot better for him than this deluded talk.
Bellew isn't stupid, he knows he couldn't live with a prime heavyweight e.g, AJ. He will certainly want a rematch with Haye as he stated post fight. The only thing that would stop the rematch is if Haye cannot recover from his injury.
The injury decided the fight and there is a legitimate case for a rematch, also there's likely to be a market for it, but it will depend on Haye and whether he's able or willing to have a rematch - he might no be able to recover from his injury or he may decide it's time to retire again, who knows?
Bellew has repeatedly said in the run up to the fight, that he wouldn't beat a prime Haye. Bellew deserves massive credit for this win however.
Haye is out of hospital and doesn't need surgery so hopefully his recovery will be more straight forward than thought. As a Bellew fan I'd rather see him go and defend his cruiser weight belt but the rewards are smaller. As people have said Bellew couldn't live with a proper 6 foot 8 18 stone sized heavy weight so Haye is the only option in my opinion. People going on as if the injury didn't effect the fight are really leaving a bad taste in my mouth and I really don't/didn't even like Haye. I even read Bellew was winning and Haye was gassing before the injury. I'll have to watch it again because as well as Tony was doing (it was close)but I just didn't see this, if anything it looked like Haye was starying to take over.
Bellew can do what ever he wants now. There may be more money in wilder/parker fights. Its funny how people are making excuses for haye. Haye was fine for the first 6 rounds and bellew made him miss and countered. Bellew said from the start that he will be cautious for the first 4-6 rounds then he will step it up and make him quit. thats exactly what happened. His corner threw the towel in and for the right reason but Bellew still predicted the way the fight would go. People chat 5hit on boxing forums. Everyone said Haye would K.O. bellew with one arm and bellew would never be able to handle his speed/power. they all said look at bellews physique he has not trained and has no chance. Bellew proved everyone wrong he was quicker than Haye and also proved he was able to take Hayes best shots without flinching. Ask your self's this, how many heavy weights would have beat Haye yesterday (im talking the first 5 rounds before the injury occurred) My opinion is that Haye would have knocked most heavies out besides the top guys. Now if thats the case how does Bellew not get the credit he deserves? Lets not forget it was only around 3 years ago he was fighting at 12-7
Bellew deserves immense credit. I'm a fan of his not Haye's. I always said he had a chance if it went past 5 rounds. But anyone who says that injury didn't have a huge impact on the fight is stupid. Haye didn't look amazing and he did look slow and sloppy Bellew was moving and countering well and took good shots. But there was no evidence of Haye slowing what so ever so chances are it would have continued in the manner it was and anyone could have won it but with the injury decided what happened. I don't know how anyone can deny that.
I don't want to to see a rematch. I want to see Haye retire. His finished. Even if he did come back and beat Bellew then what? AJ would destroy this version of David Haye.
ask yourself this, if this wasnt Haye would people have thought much of a fighter being pulled out in the 6th with that injury, then immediate rematch? but Hayes talk and past made this impossible. that type of injury was really fight ending in most cases, thats what made the fight so bizarre, it never happens! I dont go with your theory at all. Haye wouldnt have beaten many live heavyweights in that condition, Chisora would have beaten him easy with him having that injury. he looked injured from the start and its clear the rumors were real. his stance was off and he looked very awkward from the get go. it looked like a case of an injured fighter not being able to pull out. I give Bellew immense credit still, but for him to not acknowledge a fight changing injury is delusional and also trying to fool the public into thinking he alone walked Haye down. he needs to prove he can do it again, or at the least make out he wants the rematch and admit the win wasnt as conclusove as he said it was. Haye should probably retire anyway, his body is done, but Bellew spouting this nonsense insults your intelligence really
Haye was never beating any of the big heavyweights anyway, couldnt/wouldn't have done it in his 'prime' no matter this far along...
Bellew went into the fight injured and broke his hand during the fight? Had to go up in weight? Why are you refusing to acknowledge that? This is boxing, injuries happen, haye was able to move fine for 6 rounds. You need to ask why he was not able to finish Bellew in that time, as he said he was going to.
personally i think injuries were plaguing Haye around the Klit fight. I remember Booth saying he wanted Haye to retire, which suggests he probably knew it was over, then he stopped training him. He could have done real damage, look at what he did to Chisora? and you say he wouldnt have beat anyone? i just think injuries and his body breaking down were his enemy an dlead to teh long inactivity. his body is just done and he should probably retire.
Edit - Sorry I misunderstood your post scrub that and ignore below post will reply later. Am at work so rush reading! move around fine for 6 rounds? go back and watch the fight. It was a fight ending injury, he should have been pulled out and would have been if this was against a huge puncher. and Bellew still deserves immense credit I dont dispute that. but the injury effected the fight, to pretend otherwise or ignore it is daft. Its unfortunate for Bellew really, just as it was for other fighters in a similar situation, beating a hampered fighter is not conclusive.
