With David Haye officially back on the Heavyweight scene after annihilating Mark de Mori at the weekend, the former champ has plenty of options available on British shores. Here’s Boxing Base’s Top 5 British opponents for the Hayemaker:
1. Tyson Fury (25-0, 18 KO)
A bout with the indescribable Fury would be a huge spectacle, and all the more so since Tyson Fury operates as a self-marketing machine when he’s not fighting. Fury knows how to get his face in the papers and put butts on seats more than any Heavyweight/active fighter today, and so it’s fair to say Haye’s comeback road is leading to Klitschko-beater Fury.
Whether it will happen or not is rather uncertain right now. Haye already pulled out of two fights with Fury back in 2013, much to the irritation of the ‘Gyspy Warrior’ who has stated many times that he’ll never give Haye another shot. But, you know, I’m sure Fury might come around if a huge payday is presented before him…
2. Anthony Joshua (15-0, 15 KO)
This guy requires no introduction to the majority of boxing fans – certainly Heavyweight followers – and could have easily been No.1 on this list. But since Joshua is yet to capture a world title, let alone challenge a Top 10 Heavyweight, I decided to let Fury take the lead.
A Haye vs Joshua event would be a salivating affair, especially since Haye is a proven world-beater and power puncher, and Joshua a beast who is still yet to prove himself on the international scene. It’s likely Joshua won’t be Haye’s very next target, but you can bet Joshua is on the hit list. Joshua vs Haye would sell out the O2 or Manchester Arena in seconds, and be an insanely lucrative Pay Per View event.
3. Dillian Whyte (16-1, 13 KO)
Dillian Whyte has a great chance of receiving a call from the Hayemaker. Whyte is big, skilled, powerful, and more than earned the right after taking uber-prospect Anthony Joshua (above) a memorable 7 rounds in December. Whyte probably wouldn’t be the favorite against Haye, but has youth on his side at 27-years-old, plus a two inch height advantage to boot.
4. Hughie Fury (18-0, 10 KO)
If this fight takes place, it probably won’t be until at least 2017, with late 2016 being the earliest. While Fury (cousin of Tyson) knows how to handle himself in the ring, he’s simply too green for his handlers to allow him to take on a dangerous fighter like Haye. Fury, a 6’ 6” prospect, would need to seriously step up in class to prepare himself for such a challenge.
5. Dereck Chisora (12-5, 17 KO)
It pains me to say it, but ‘Del Boy’ is a candidate. Chisora has always been considered a fringe contender (granted, he fought well against Vitali Klitschko), but has marketed himself incredibly well by doing outlandish, er…stuff. You know, like spitting water in his opponent’s face and what not. It’s true that Haye has already sparked Chisora once way back in 2012, but it’s not beyond the realm of possibility for Chisora to ‘hype’ himself into another domestic sequel (maybe we’ll see another Haye vs Chisora dustup at a post-fight press conference?).
Notable Mentions
David Price (19-3, 16 KO)
David who? you might be starting to ask nowadays. Well, I can confirm that the former British prospect is still around despite suffering some crushing defeats in the ring. Price was once considered a major attraction on British shores – even touted as Tyson Fury’s biggest threat – but was conclusively stopped by veteran Tony Thompson twice in 2013.
Price went on to clock up some dominating wins in Germany but was demolished by Erkan Teper inside 2 rounds last July. But, as you may already know, there was a lot more to that story, with Teper recently testing positive for PEDs. For that reason, the Price vs Teper result may well become a No Contest, but hasn’t as of yet according to BoxRec.
Price isn’t a front runner for Haye’s next fight, but considering Price’s career is fading into obscurity, it’s likely he’d jump at the chance for a hefty payday. For what it’s worth, Price has true Heavyweight stature on his side, standing at 6’ 8” and possessing a monster right hand.
Gary Cornish (21-1, 12 KO)
Yes, I’m referring to the guy who was crushed by Anthony Joshua inside one hellacious round last September. Cornish isn’t hot on boxing fan’s radars for obvious reasons, but is still a possibility for Haye’s next outing nonetheless. Like Price (above), I’m pretty sure Haye would wipe the floor with him, with Cornish willing to sign up for a generous payday.
Who would you like to see David Haye in the ring with next, folks? Should he jump straight in with big guns like Anthony Joshua given that time is a pressing issue for 35-year-old Haye? Or should he take things slower, instead challenging a solider test such as Dillian Whyte?
