July 6th

This has been set as the date David Haye will return to the ring, against a ranked but at the moment unnamed opponent. The story being reported by the Daily Mail has no quotes and should be taken with a pinch of salt, however it would be good viewing if he does.

Any guesses who it'll be?

A rematch where redemption will be earned.

Its Audleys destiny after all

Neither Price nor Fury will have the balls and he's already made a mockery of any other contender on the domestic scene. Doubt the Yanks will send anyone over so I can only think (to be a decent fight) it'll have to be a top Euro contender.

That said, I don't think it will be, so in turn his 'return' is pants.

Please, please, please tell me that it's the Audley rematch we all crave... He looked in such great shape in Prizefighter, he'll definitely have everything sorted for a return fight now.

TopHat24/7 wrote:Neither Price nor Fury will have the balls and he's already made a mockery of any other contender on the domestic scene. Doubt the Yanks will send anyone over so I can only think (to be a decent fight) it'll have to be a top Euro contender.

That said, I don't think it will be, so in turn his 'return' is pants.

Most people reckon Povetkin.

Wouldn't mind him going after Pulev. He is rated a top prospect but looks beatable.

Would like either Povetkin or Pulez, would respect Haye for either, but just don't have confidence in it happening.

Haye would murder Povetkin. It would be a good fight to take though.

It's what he needs to do. Fight at least one or two top-ranked contenders before going for a world strap (or making a mockery of someone like Fury).

CH5 woudl be ruing themselves if he takes on Fury now, could have had a massive one there. But doubt Haye would have fought on terrestrial.

Povetkin would be my choice. A world class contender (in a field of the mediocre), who, should Haye beat him, will give Haye a legitimate claim to call for a world title fight, probably with Vitai. Probably be Thompson though!!

Povetkin is scheduled to fight Wladamir in the summer so i doubt Povetkin would pull out of a fight with Wladamir to fight Haye.

Good call.

That's the only really decent fight ruled out then....

i wonder if sky returning box office fights would have anything to do with this.

haye is said to have a good relationship with povetkin and is a fight they could both make. povetkin might see it as a legitimate challenge and an easier one than taking on wlad. if they think there is enough to be earned between them they could go for it

Irrespective of the abuse Haye is likely to recieve from certain quarters of the forum whoever he fights, it's something we've been calling for him to do since his loss to Wlad. He may very well be the best of the rest but to secure another World title fight he HAS to go and prove it by beating these other guys.

Good move for Haye and possibly what he needs to regain a genuine hunger for the title. He seems have been talking about it for so long I think he's forgotten what it's like to really WANT to be the Champion.

Tony Thompson perhaps?

Well known now to British public after beating Price and also very beatbale and and easy stepping stone fight for Haye. I'm in no way saying this is the best fight possible but easy publicity and money for Haye which he has built his whole HW career on.

haye supposedly got decked a couple of times when sparring thompson before the Audley fight. Thompson was in much better shape than he is now though

Lance wrote:haye supposedly got decked a couple of times when sparring thompson before the Audley fight. Thompson was in much better shape than he is now though

Source?

i said supposedly, no sure if its true. but Thompson and Harrison both spoke about it publicly before the haye harrison fight.

Just had a quick look on google, ESPN reported on the 1st of November that Harrison heard Thompson had knocked Haye down numerous times in sparring. Then on the 2nd they had Thompson saying Haye had been battering him.

i remember thompson saying it didnt prove anything that he had put haye down, because he was miles better than audley, who was too slow and cowardly to get near haye

I think Haye will look to target the WBC title and either position himself for the belt is it becomes vacant or else become mandatory for Vitali.

The Wlad option is closed to him now and I dont even think Haye wants another fight unless it will be a big money unification with him for all the belts.

I notice that in the WBC rankings Haye parachuted in to number 5 on their list from nowhere some time after the new year. Not bad going for a guy who has only beaten Chisora in the last 2 years. He seems to have a pretty good relationship with them so maybe his next fight could be some kind of eliminator against one of their ranked guys.

manos de piedra wrote:I think Haye will look to target the WBC title and either position himself for the belt is it becomes vacant or else become mandatory for Vitali.

The Wlad option is closed to him now and I dont even think Haye wants another fight unless it will be a big money unification with him for all the belts.

I notice that in the WBC rankings Haye parachuted in to number 5 on their list from nowhere some time after the new year. Not bad going for a guy who has only beaten Chisora in the last 2 years. He seems to have a pretty good relationship with them so maybe his next fight could be some kind of eliminator against one of their ranked guys.

Given that Fury is #4 maybe that fight could make sense afterall....... http://www.fightnews.com/rankings-2

Or Mitchell's vanquisher Banks maybe......

Haye beats all the HWs not named Klitschko. I just wish he'd KO one or two of them to prove that point. But, he prefers to try and just talk his way in to the spot (probably sensible for his health, but not what us fans want to see).

Can only see Fury being a possible opponent for Haye if he really has absolutely no other TV avenues open to him now that C5 have shunned boxing and, as such, is forced to take a big risk in order to keep himself in the world-wide shop window.

I guess it's a possibility of sorts; Sky is presumably a no-go thanks to Hearn's dominance there and also Hennessey's inability to work with Sky in the days of him 'promoting' Froch, Warren's stable on BoxNation is dwindling and Fury could well see it as a step backwards leaving terrestrial TV for such a smaller audience and, call me crazy, but I'm not sure that Mr Maloney will be all that keen to work with him, either! Even Hatton Promotions are in the dark right now when it comes to TV deals.

But I tend to think he'll stick with the line which he's used to distance himself from the possibility of fighting Price, namely that he's one, maybe two fights away from a shot at the WBC or the IBF (which in turn also means the WBO and WBA title held by Wladimir, too), so why jeopardise that when it's so close?

It's anyone's guess who Haye will fight in July if indeed he does come back - to be honest, I'm taking all of this with a pinch of salt.

fury wont fight haye. if fury was avoiding price he wont then fight a more dangerous fighter in haye

Having been highly critcial of, well, basically every HW who's ever lived, Fury finds himself in the awkward position of suggesting he's up for the Klitschko's but but potentially saying he won't fight Haye.

There's every possibility as horrific as it may be that Haye/Fury is given final eliminator status but then I can pretty much see the WBC granting one of them the honour of being the Silver belt holder and making Martin Rogan Wlad's/Vit's next opponent

Chris, I thought Hatton fights were going to be on BoxNation? Or is that exclusive to the Murray/Martinez bout?

I don't see there being a problem with Haye going back to Sky, after all, Groves is now with Hearn and you could see Haye sitting next to Eddie Hearn at the recent Heavyweight Prizefighter. Haye is a pretty clever businessman, so if he buddied up with Hearn to co-promote a show on Sky it could be financially beneficial to all parties involved!

Perhaps, SP. Not had a look at Hatton's promotional situation for a while so if you say that they're going to find a permanent home on BoxNation then I won't argue.

victorgarco wrote:fury wont fight haye. if fury was avoiding price he wont then fight a more dangerous fighter in haye

The 2 differences with Haye would be a) he brings a LOT more money to the table; and b) his ranking means a Win would give Fury a v big rankings boost - which is something Price wouldn't (which was one of the reasons Fury gave for not fighting him).

Agree the premise tho.

Apparently Manuel Charr is claiming its him facing Haye on twitter

can't believe Haye would lower his lofty standards that far, oh wait....yes i can.

I dont think Fury would fight Haye. Banks might be an option. His last fight was a semi final bout for the WBC so Haye could sneak in there and put himself in line. I think Arreola v Stiverne in a few weeks is for mandatory position.

I was looking on boxrec earlier to see who in the top 15 very available only to find that helenius is lined up to fight sprott?! He's really regressed after the chisora 'win'

Charr has asked Haye for a fight before, at the Chisora/Haye press conference I think.

I'm quite confident the Martinez/Murray fight is only on BoxNation because it's on HBO, could be wrong, mind but I haven't heard of any deal between Hatton and BoxNation.

spencerclarke wrote:I was looking on boxrec earlier to see who in the top 15 very available only to find that helenius is lined up to fight sprott?! He's really regressed after the chisora 'win'

Well... He is pap.

Anyone punting on Sprott to do better than expected and get robbed?

Quite possibly alex.

Its going to be a massively underwhelming announcement if it is charr