Haye to hit the O2 in November
DAVID Haye is heading back to The O2 for his next bout, although his biggest fight at the moment is to find an opponent.
The Bermondsey-born boxer will make his heavyweight debut at the North Greenwich venue on November 15 after conquering the cruiserweight division, where he was undisputed world champion.
But the 28-year-old is having problems finding a top-class boxer willing to face him.
Two un-named Americans have pulled out and a third, JD Chapman, was due to be unveiled at a press conference on Tuesday.
But Chapman did not show, having failed to board a plane from America because he was “running scared� according to Haye’s manager Adam Booth. Haye admitted it was frustating.
“Yeah, the general consensus is frustration,� he said. “He agreed to the fight. He’s had 29 wins and no defeats. He’s 6ft 6ins,18 stone, loves to brawl and I liked the sound of him.
“But boxing’s a sport for warriors and I know he wouldn’t want this hanging over his head. He’s accepted and [then] pulled out of a fight with a cruiserweight. Fingers crossed he’ll be here. We’ll shame him out of his hole.�
Whatever happens, for Haye the step up to heavyweight will fulfil a lifelong ambition.
He said: “People don’t rate the division because it’s got lots of fat, ponderous heavyweights with no real speed and athleticism. What I’ll bring is raw speed and power.
“It’s my job to make a difference. It’s my job to change that, spin it round and make the heavyweight division sexy and exciting again.
“It’s always been my ambition. If you’d asked when I was thre I’d have said I was going to be heavyweight champion of the world.
“I’ve had a quick stop-off at cruiserweight to unify that division and now I’m hurrying up to achieve my dream.�
And Haye revealed he hopes to face current heavyweight king Vladimir Klitschko at The O2 in a world title fight next year.
He said:�The middle of next year is a realistic time-frame – a big summer showdown in July or August.
“To have it here it would be ideal, but we’ll have to see. If I could pick anywhere, it would be here definitely.�
First he needs to find someone to fight in November, and the keen Millwall fan hopes to repeat the double he enjoyed when he beat Enzo Maccarinelli in a world unification bout at The O2 in March.
He said: “When I beat him, Millwall beat Swansea the same day. Hopefully we can do something similar this time.�
Tickets go on sale at 9am on Friday from www.theo2.co.uk.
Older/Newer
Read The Wharf E-Edition
Leave a comment