Haye Jude
By: Andrew Harrison
Tags: david haye, nicolay valuev, ruslan chagaev, wladimir klitschko
Category: Uncategorized
That’s got to be the most convoluted headline I’ve ever come up with, however it’s apt (bear with me). St Jude for the uninitiated is the patron saint of hopeless and desperate causes, which fits in quite nicely with news that the big fight of the summer, one which I’d hoped would shine some light on a dying division, is most definitely dead in the water. After word filtered out of David Haye’s camp earlier in the week that the brash and flash motor mouth from London had picked up a training injury, his fight with Wladimir Klitschko hung in the balance.
Wlad was not happy, neither it seems were HBO and Haye’s desperate appeals to the big Ukrainian, pleading for him to hang on for three weeks until he had time to heal, didn’t enthuse little Klitschko overly and very soon the calls for extra time were drowned out as offers from alternative opponents flooded in.
Boxing forums went ballistic, defaming all things ‘Hayemaker’ as allegations of cowardice and conspiracy theories swamped the information highway. Was Haye really injured? Was he scared? Was it due to Setanta, the UK television network (who were paying Haye) asking him to take a dip in pay or even worse, did the rumours that the station itself was on the ropes mean that Haye could very well not be paid at all?
The fight hung on grimly for a few days before finally, K2 promotions flicked the switch on the life support machine and in a split second, the only heavyweight fight in distant memory which had promised even a sliver of excitement, was gone.
Klitschko it seems will now face Ring magazine’s number three contender Ruslan Chagaev, who himself was withdrawn from facing the giant Nicolai Valuev last week after failing a medical. Somehow Ring magazine have seen fit to recognise this as being for their illustrious championship, which grates slightly. I’m a huge advocate of these titles, however I fail to see how this qualifies quite frankly. It’s difficult not to allow cynicism to take hold and ponder whether HBO have demanded an extra selling point for a fight which in all likelihood will be a snoozer.
The justification from Ring mag seems to centre on the fact that, as Vitali ranks second yet will never fight his little brother, then a Chagaev fight can justifiably warrant title status. Mmmm, I think they’ve dropped the ball here to be honest which is a surprise after they made a similar clanger a few years back in allowing the winner of Kirk Johnson versus Vitali to wear the strap Lennox Lewis handed back to them when he retired.
I mean look, we’re all desperate for a single and universally recognised heavyweight champ, for clarity to reign supreme, but this seems spurious to say the least. The best two heavyweights in the world are the Klitschko boys and just because they refuse to fight each other doesn’t mean Ring magazine can fudge their rules to crown a king (I know technically their policy states numbers one and three can qualify but to me, it’s a hell of a stretch).
Anyway, where does this leave Haye?
I hope beyond hope that Booth moves swiftly and inks the other guy who’s been left dangling in this heavyweight mess (a mess within a mess and a god awful one at that). Half man, quarter bear and quarter shag pile carpet, Nicolai Valuev is fit to fight and would be a perfect barometer for Haye to measure himself against before chasing those other huge Eastern Europeans, the siblings he’s antagonised for months.
Might as well end in a convoluted manner, seeing as it’s where I came in, here’s a line from the song which inspired the headline above:
‘So let it out and let it in, hey jude, begin,
‘You’re waiting for someone to perform with’
Don’t wait too long, give Don King a buzz and make the best of a dire situation. Valuev versus Haye would sell in the UK and (if victorious) would give Team Haye the one bargaining chip left on the table. The gaudy WBA title belt the Klitschkos seem hell bent on grabbing to complete their monopolisation and consolidation of this most depressing heavyweight quagmire.
3 comments on “Haye Jude”
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I’d actually rather see the Chagaev-Klitschko fight because Ruslan is actually a top 5 (well, 3 actually) rated HW. Haye is a cruiserweight that HAS DONE NOTHING AT HW TO DESERVE A TITLE SHOT. I mean, he beat Monte freakin’ Barret. at HW and he gets a shot at Wlad? REALLY?
Anyway, HBO is saying they won’t televise the Chagaev fight, which will be for The Ring Championship (finally!). What a croc.
I like the Beatles reference, though. My fave band.
Mmmm, interesting Kelsey, from what you’ve seen would that be the general viewpoint in the US? I can see where you’re coming from, however for me, I kinda know how the Ruslan fight will go, he’s a good boxer and I agree, he’s proven his ability in the big league and against the biggest of big boys (Valuev).
I can see him having success yet coming up short on the cards, Wlad will box technically and again, his size should be the deciding factor. If he was negative against Ibragimov….(oh oh…..bad flashback….aaarghhh..), he’ll be again versus Ruslan……..deep joy.
With Haye I knew we were in for fireworks. I wasn’t convinced he’d win, in a battle of punchers, usually the better whiskers see the victor through, but who owns them? They’ve both looked vulnerable.
More importantly, my non-boxing friends were juiced about the Haye fight, we’d even planned a big night out to watch it together like the flippin’ old days!! Sadly it’ll be a night in now, no-one gives two hoots about Klitschko Chagaev. Disaster.
Ah you’re right Kelsey, HBO have backheeled it, my bad. That’s what being cynical does for you!!