British boxer David Haye has been fighting professionally for seven years. His record is astounding: In his first year of professional fighting, he won eight matches, all by knockout. But he was always determined to move from cruiserweight, where he began his career, to heavyweight. (He hopes to emulate Evander Holyfield, he says — a bold statement!) As he fast becomes one of boxing’s biggest upstarts, his decision to go heavyweight, it seems, was the right one.
The problem with heavyweight boxing over the last decade is that slowly, all excitement has been drained from it. It has become a competition not of skill but of who can be the biggest lumbering bear in the ring, swinging punches with a scant eye to strategy, hoping that one will land eventually (by the time someone is finally hit, I’ve generally lost interest). Well, Haye should certainly bring back to heavyweight pugilism the thrill of the fight.
Last year, he shot to prominence (and earned himself a WBA heavyweight title) in a fight dubbed “David and Goliath” — his opponent was nearly 100 pounds heavier and a foot taller! Despite the odds (and in spite of his critics), he triumphed. British GQ took note, and this month put Haye, deservedly, on its cover. Inside the issue is the definitive interview with Haye, and what makes it truly insightful is that Ben Anderson, who conducted the interview, is Haye’s former sparring partner. He tells Haye’s story brilliantly, giving us a penetrating glimpse into the mind of one of boxing’s biggest stars.
Check out a preview of th GQ interview online here
Great cover! I love the Kate Moss one too!
At last some competition at heavyweight! He needs to fight a Klitschko bro. My money’s on the Haymaker