David Haye has revealed he still wants to take on rival Tyson Fury even after the Gypsy King’s devastating knockout win over Deontay Wilder on Saturday night.
Fury beat Wilder in a thrilling Las Vegas contest over the weekend that saw the British boxer floored twice in round four before sealing a sensational victory via an 11th-round stoppage.
The Gypsy King’s retired British rival Haye, who pulled out of two showdowns with Fury due to injury, admits he would be a ‘1000/1 underdog’ against ‘the No 1 heavyweight on the planet’ but the 40-year-old still wants the challenge.
David Haye (right) still wants to face Tyson Fury (left) even after his win over Deontay Wilder
Fury defeated American rival Wilder (front) via an 11th-round stoppage on Saturday night
‘It’s 100 per cent serious,’ Haye told iFL TV when asked about wanting to take on the WBC and Ring Magazine title holder. ‘I said the only person I’d put my body through a comeback for would be for the No 1 heavyweight on the planet.
‘There’s no reason why I’d punish myself and do what I need to do to put myself into a position to give myself any type of chance if it isn’t for the big one. And it doesn’t get any bigger than that, I’d be like a 1000/1 underdog for good reason.
‘Hopefully when Team Fury sort of crunch the numbers… something’s gonna happen in the next two months where they’re gonna be looking for an opponent.
‘I know how big time boxing works, when he works out what money is generated with a Hayemaker fight versus any of the other options, although they may on paper be more respectable, he knows it’s out there.’
Haye was due to take on Fury in 2013 and then 2014 but pulled out due to injury
Haye’s request to the Gypsy King comes as the latter’s father, John, revealed he has informed his son to face Ukrainian Oleksandr Usyk – who beat Anthony Joshua last month – or don’t bother.
‘He’s got to go for Usyk or nothing in my idea. It’s Usyk next or nothing,’ Fury Senior told talkSPORT. ‘I wouldn’t bother with the rest of them, they’re not in Tyson’s class.
‘Would Dillian Whyte deal with Deontay Wilder? No. So why would you want to put him in with my son and get him knocked out?
‘At the end of the day, he just got knocked out by a 42-year-old man (Alexander Povetkin) via a slap by the back of his hand.
‘Tyson can’t get up for them kind of fights. He wouldn’t raise his game for that fight as he’s not big enough. And then he goes in there with a lacklustre attitude and you don’t see the best of Tyson.
Fury Senior says Usyk (above) would be the only fighter the Gypsy King would be excited for
‘You only see the best of Tyson when he’s against the best. A challenge like he had (against Wilder) and it was a great fight. For me, I told him: Usyk or don’t bother.’
Haye, meanwhile, was set to fight Fury in September 2013 before it was cancelled due to a cut above his right eye that required several stitches.
The fight was postponed until the following February but a shoulder problem meant Haye had to cancel again.
Haye has hung up his gloves twice – once after losing his world title to Wladimir Klitschko in 2011, before making a return to face Derek Chisora in 2012. He made another comeback four years later – securing two stoppage wins before he was beaten twice by nemesis Tony Bellew.
The 40-year-old returned to the ring this year for an exhibition fight against Joe Fournier in August.
Earlier this year, Haye claimed he would have beaten the Gypsy King back in 2013 and maintained that point of view when asked about a potential match-up last month.
Haye, now retired and 40, returned to the ring for an August exhibition clash with Joe Fournier
‘I genuinely, genuinely do,’ Haye said, when asked if he felt he would emerge victorious. ‘You look at my last two fights. I had an Achilles tendon rupture. I had a bicep rupture. I got battered in the second fight, I haven’t done anything in three years. There’s no reason why, on paper, I’ve got any chance.
‘But what I do have – I’ve got every single person thinking I’ve got no chance. How hard do you think Fury would train to fight me, knowing how washed up and finished I am?
‘How hard do you think he’s training for this (Wilder) fight now? Three weeks!
‘Fury is way better than me on paper and in reality. I think the psychology of someone thinking they can completely dominate you, and they don’t quite understand what you bring to the table, it gives you power.’
Haye believes he stands a chance of beating Fury despite being a ‘1000/1 underdog’
With regards to how likely a Fury-Haye match-up would be, Matchroom Boxing supremo Eddie Hearn admitted this year he would not be surprised if the British duo fought, claiming the Gypsy King would use it to avoid a clash with Anthony Joshua.
Fury’s promoter Frank Warren, meanwhile, admitted that his client fighting Haye would be ‘huge’ but insists the Hayemaker needs to do more to earn the clash.
‘I’ve got a lot of respect for David but he’s 40. I mean, he’s not a youngster but he’s not 58,’ Warren told iFL TV last month.
Fury’s promoter Frank Warren (left) admitted this year that a Haye fight would be huge
‘He suffered some bad injuries and certainly against Tony Bellew… I’m in shock to be quite honest because I fancied David Haye. Having said that, he obviously had these injuries and he shouldn’t have been in the ring in the first place.
‘I don’t know whether he’s got rid of the injuries or not. I’m sure he’s calling out Tyson because him and Tyson, let’s get it right, would be a huge fight.
‘But I think he’s got to do a bit more before talking about Tyson Fury. For No 1, he’d have to get rated, and to get rated you’ve got to fight a rated fighter.’