Who wins? Experts give their predictions on David Haye-Tyson Fury

Who wins? Experts give their predictions on David Haye-Tyson Fury





Who will win the all-British heavyweight showdown between David Haye and Tyson Fury?

Here, 12 experts give Boxing News their predictions on what will happen when the two outspoken rivals clash at the Phones 4U Arena in Manchester on September 28.
Clinton Woods, former IBF light-heavyweight ruler
“David Haye wins by KO. I just think he is the technically better boxer, more accurate, and Fury does get hit and he has been floored by far lighter punchers than Haye. It’s an exciting fight and I am looking forward to it.”
Amir Mansour, unbeaten heavyweight contender
“David Haye wins all day long. I was ringside at Fury-Steve Cunningham and I couldn’t believe how Cunningham let him win that fight. He was supposed to knock Fury out and I couldn’t believe how he let him come back from that early knockdown. But, I must commend Fury, he bullied Cunningham and he kept to that game-plan. He bullied Cunningham and he took his heart I think. But I can’t see Fury doing that against Haye. Haye is too much of a fighter, with too much experience.”
B.J Flores, top-ranked cruiserweight contender
“Haye. By extremely violent KO! I would say the third round, unless Tyson stays away. Remember the number of times Steve Cunningham was catching him? When David catches him it will be lights out. I think it will be a rude awakening [for Fury]. [There are] too many holes in his defence.”
Tim Witherspoon, former two-time heavyweight boss
“I’ve got to say, I like both boxers. I think both are good for the sport: Fury with his sense of fun and Haye with his elegance - both are good talkers. At one time there was talk about me training one or both of them; Tyson and David. David Haye has more big fights under his belt, therefore more experience, and Tyson is really the up and coming guy. It’s a good match-up. The thing about Fury going down (being decked twice thus far in his pro career), I think it was more to do with him having poor balance and being out of position. I know Haye has a lot of confidence going in because of the knockdowns Fury has suffered, but both guys have questionable chins and both guys hit hard. I’m sure both have a gameplan, but once you get hit that gameplan goes out the window! It will either be a boring fight or there will be a KO. If they mix it up, someone will get hit and there will be an early KO. I think it could be a case of who hits who first. I will be in the UK in September and I hope they ask me to do some TV work for the fight!”
Earnie Shavers, legendary heavyweight

“Well, I do know David Haye quite well but I must admit I don’t know too much about Tyson Fury. But I do think Fury is too big, too much of a target. I’ve got to go with Haye. As long as David looks after himself, concentrates on the fight and comes in in good shape, I think he’ll get a KO win in the later rounds. A lot of today’s guys [heavyweights] are too big. I like guys like Haye, no bigger than 6ft 2ins or 6ft 3ins”

Harold “The Shadow” Knight, ex-world super-featherweight title challenger and former co-trainer of Lennox Lewis

“I’m going with Haye to win by KO, based on his greater experience, his better chin and his quality of opposition. Also, Haye has gone the championship rounds on more occasions. Fury was hurt and dropped by Cunningham, a cruiserweight. Fury also talks too much! It will be a good fight, though - while it lasts.”
Lamon Brewster, former WBO heavyweight champ and last man to defeat Wladimir Klitschko
“I think David Haye will go in and prove himself to be the better chess player. Unless Fury has learnt how to use his head and not just his muscle, Haye wins. I think Fury is made for Haye - Haye has the speed and the explosiveness and Fury was down against Steve Cunningham. I think Haye is in a class of his own really. The smaller man will be depending on his brain more in the fight. And though Wladimir Klitschko, a big man, beat Haye, you can’t put Wladimir and Tyson Fury in the same sentence. Also, I don’t think Fury has really proven himself yet. This is the big test for him. Haye is a smart, crafty fighter.”
Al Bernstein, long time boxing expert and current commentator for Showtime
“I pick Fury by decision. I think Haye will have early success, maybe even drop Fury. In the middle rounds Fury will hurt Haye and then Haye will go into defensive mode and Fury will use his jab to control the fight and win a decision.”
Gerry Cooney, lethal left hooker of the 1980s
“I’m not going to make a prediction. Tyson Fury is a tough kid, David Haye is a tremendous puncher and Tyson Fury is a tremendous puncher. I think it’s an exciting fight for the heavyweight division. I was there in New York when Tyson fought Cunningham and he scored a brutal knockout but he was knocked down himself and hit with quite a lot of right hands. We talked and we said then that he needs to tighten up on his punches and shorten up on his punches to protect himself. I hope his corner have addressed that. It’s a great fight and I must say I’m in Tyson Fury’s corner all the way. I hope he can win.”
Vinny Maddalone, New York warrior and former Fury foe
“You know, I’ve gotta go with Fury. I know most people are picking David Haye, but I think Fury is too big for him. He fought a good fighter in Steve Cunningham and though he was put down he got back up and he handled himself pretty well I think. I know Haye has fought big guys like [Nicolai] Valuev, but I think Fury is a different type of fighter - he moves pretty well, he’s not flat footed. I’m sure Fury’s plan will be to lean on Haye, to rough him up. If he sticks with that gameplan and makes it a fight, I think he’ll win. If he doesn’t stick to it, Haye will pot-shot him and pick him apart. I’m not sure if I see a KO; Haye has a pretty good chin. It might all depend on how they come out at the first bell, but I go with Fury by decision.”
Al Cole, former IBF cruiserweight champ who, like Haye, moved up from cruiserweight to heavyweight
"I think David Haye is a decent fighter. The thing is, all the cruiserweights who move up to heavyweight today have got it easy, because all the heavyweights today are no good, aside from the Klitschkos. So I think Haye, with his speed and his power, if he can take Fury’s pressure, will win. The question is, can he take the pressure? I don’t know. But I think there is a lot of hype around Fury - I wish I could make a comeback and fight him, that’d be an easy fight for me - and he didn’t look that good against Cunningham. Also, I think Haye did pretty good against [Wladimir] Klitschko, better than a lot of people thought; he boxed well and he caught his attention with a couple of shots. I do see a Haye KO win - I wish I was coming over to commentate on the fight!”
Malik Scott, once beaten world ranked heavyweight contender
“Before six rounds I like Haye to win by KO. But if the fight goes past six, I think Fury will win, either by late KO or on a decision. I think it’s a great fight.”
Results: Haye - 7. Fury - 2. On the fence - 3.