David Haye’s retirement looks final this time as he revealed the full extent of his physical struggles in recent years but in his heyday he lit up British boxing like few othersNearly eight years after he vowed to retire on his 31st birthday, David Haye was adamant on Tuesday that he is walking away from boxing for good. Revealing for the first time details of long and painful back surgery that curtailed the latter part of his career, he said: “I have given my heart and soul to boxing for 27 years.”And no sooner had the transatlantic shouting match between Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder descended into another strident and pointless exchange than Haye stole everyone’s thunder – although it was...
After his second defeat by Tony Bellew, David Haye dodged questions about retirement but the 37-year-old is now a sitting duck for top fightersBoxing accommodates no calumny, which is why David Haye should look back over his pronouncements before and after his devastating second defeat by Tony Bellew and consider doing what all fighters must eventually do: quit the day job.Three days before the 37-year-old Londoner endured his what might prove to be his farewell nightmare, he confessed: “My only reason for being in boxing is to prove I’m the best on the planet. I need to prove I’m better than Tony before I can think about that.” Related: Tony Bellew targets Tyson Fury while David Haye ponders his future...
At one stage the world’s most exciting heavyweight, the Hayemaker has not achieved what he should have doneDavid Haye was once the most exciting heavyweight in the world. He was fast, powerful and smart in the ring, punching considerably above his weight, loud and controversial outside it, a charismatic magnet of controversy.Yet for all that he has achieved – world titles at cruiser and heavyweight and as much celebrity and money as any good-looking working-class south London boy could have asked for – there is little doubt that, at 37, he has fallen short of what he could have achieved in an era of flux. Related: Katie Taylor takes first step towards being the one and only champion Continue reading...
Boxer embraced the victor Tony Bellew, who he had threatened to put in hospital, but still insists pre-fight tirades were realIt did not take long for the public embrace of David Haye and Tony Bellew – the televised moment that delivered what seemed to be the heartwarming conclusion to months of mutual loathing – to fade like a forgotten family photo.By Thursday, Bellew, so generous to his rival in the glow of victory last Saturday night, was telling an Irish radio station that the pre-fight trash-talk was “all real”, adding: “The things he said to me declare that he’s an absolute scumbag. Like I said before: once a helmet, always a helmet.” Related: Tony Bellew stops hobbling David Haye in...
Tony Bellew’s victory at the O2 Arena has surely put an end to the Londoner’s career in the ring and he can now retire with £4m in the bankTwo fine fighters of contrasting temperaments but shared instincts – Paulie Malignaggi and Derry Mathews – said their reluctant goodbyes to boxing at the O2 Arena in London and, while both will be missed, they were right to bow to the inevitable. Whether David Haye follows their lead should be learned in the next few days.In the tumult after Tony Bellew’s measured and universally unexpected deconstruction of Haye in front of 20,000 fans in the main event on Saturday night Haye retreated as graciously as he could to a nearby hospital and...