David Haye Slams Tyson Fury, Targets Deontay Wilder Fight in Comeback Bid
David Haye is ready to return to boxing and has predicted he is on a one-way route to face WBC world heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder. Unfortunately for Tyson Fury, his English compatriot is not interested in renewing their twice-agreed but never-to-be-seen rivalry of 2013.
Haye is in "no rush to name a date or opponent" for his comeback, reported by Mike Walters of the Mirror. He is, however, sure about who he won't step into the ring with:
"Fury can forget it, though. It’s just not going to happen—destiny has decided he’s not going to get a payday out of me. If he had fought me, he would have been lying on the floor when I knocked him out after a round, laughing all the way to the bank.
He’s said on numerous occasions he’s not in it for titles, or to create a legacy, all he’s interested in is the money. Why should I help someone with that attitude walk away with millions when most great fighters don’t make that kind of money?
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Haye says he would "hate" to be an "accessory" along Fury's route to "cheating" himself into riches. He also indicated that, despite having plans to retire at 30, the lack of "unnecessary punishment" sustained throughout his career means there is no rush to hang up his gloves, per Walters.
Now 34 and having recovered from the reconstructive shoulder surgery that saw him drop out of the second Fury agreement, Haye says he's "banging harder than ever," reported by Declan Taylor for the MailOnline. He believes the "heavyweight division is looking as good as it has done for a long time," suggesting one of his old foes and Wilder deserve respect at the top, per Taylor:
"You've got Wladimir Klitschko still doing what he does, you've got the emergence of Deontay Wilder, the WBC champion, big guy, perfect record. He just had a great win and I was in Vegas when he fought Bermane Stiverne. He looked like the real deal, he really did. He helped me out in the past with sparring so I know him very well and I think that has really spiced up the heavyweight division.
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Haye appears to be targeting Wilder's belt, saying it's a "great route" for him to work the American boxing scene and get himself into a position for a mandatory shot, something he believes could be "a year or 18 months away," reported by Taylor:
"I'm not stupid and I don't think I will just jump straight in there," said Haye. "I think it would be disrespectful to the champions and a bit idiotic of myself to think that just because three years ago I could fight at a good level I can just come straight back."
A YouTube video of Haye getting the better of Wilder during a sparring session suggests he could make an impact:
It's been nearly three years since Haye last stepped into the ring, beating Dereck Chisora via technical knockout. His 2011 loss to Wladimir Klitschko remains the great disappointment of his career—even casual UK fans will remember the toe injury he blamed for defeat—so there's always been the sense Haye never quite hit the heights he perhaps could.
Wins over John Ruiz and Audley Harrison prior to the Klitschko loss backed this up and begged the question of whether Haye was pushing himself to his full potential before his string of fitness problems.
The Bermondsey-born fighter has an excellent toolset—he is fast, powerful and explosive—but hunting the likes of Wilder will seriously challenge whether or not he has suffered lasting damage in the last few years.
UK fans will no doubt want to see the Haye who beat Nikolai Valuev—crafty in his approach and ambitious enough to take on one of the sport's most unique challenges—to appear in the coming years. Heavyweight Eddie Chambers believes Haye can be commended for his return, although he didn't resist the chance to have a dig:
Haye is a big talker, though. He needs to push on with actions, to establish a run of wins and eventually put himself back in the reckoning for the title.
Wilder's going nowhere, and between them, the pair have the audience reach to engage fans across the globe.
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