WLADIMIR KLITSCHKO V. DAVID HAYE HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP ** In-Depth Preview and Analysis **

Posted on | June 30, 2011 | No Comments

 

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By: Tony Penecale
The heavyweights are making noise again.  Once known as a boxing’s glory division, it has fallen on hard times the last few years.  The Klitschko brothers are the dominant heads of the class.  Vitali is the older, more stoic brother, while Wladimir is the more athletic, yet at the same time, more vulnerable younger brother.

Enter David Haye, a brash competitor from the United Kingdom, who has set his sights on both brothers since entering the heavyweight division in 2008.  He has gone so far to have t-shirts printed with the severed heads of the Klitschko brothers.  He has called them out and insulted them.

Wladimir will be the one to finally get Haye in the ring and there is no love lost between these fighters.  The Imtech Arena in Hamburg Germany will be at full capacity with many Klitschko faithful in attendance along with some rabid British fans following their hometown hero and hoping to see him leave Germany with Klitschko’s head and belts on a silver platter.

Klitschko has an ability to take a very good opponent and make them look like an ordinary fighter.  The question to pose is “Can David Haye be extraordinary?”.  The heavyweight division matters again!

AGE, RECORD, AND STATS

Klitschko:

Age:  35 years old

Record:  55-3 (49 Knockouts)
Height:  6’6”
Weight:  247   ** Weight for last bout (9-11-10)
Reach:  81”

Haye:

Age:  30 years old

Record:  25-1 (23 Knockouts)
Height:  6’3”
Weight:  210   ** Weight for last bout (11-13-10)
Reach:  78”

RING ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Klitschko:

WBO Heavyweight Champion (’00-‘03)

IBF Heavyweight Champion (’06-’Pres)
IBO Heavyweight Champion (’06-’Pres)
WBO Heavyweight Champion (’08-’Pres)

Haye:

WBC Cruiserweight Champion (’07-‘08)

WBA Super Cruiserweight Champion (’07-’08)
WBA Heavyweight Champion (’09-‘Pres)

 

STYLE

 

Klitschko:

Klitschko is a patient, stand-up boxer who likes to utilize his thunderous jab to keep opponents at bay and keep the pace steady.  Coupled with a devastating right hand and above-average left hook, Klitschko has the ability to finish an opponent with either hand.  Likes to keep the pace slow due to concerns about his chin and conditioning.

 

Haye:

Haye uses exceptional hand and foot speed to create angles and punching opportunities against larger and slower opponents.  Has power in both hands and is capable of scoring a knockout with a single punch but most damage is usually the result of fast two-fisted combinations.

 

STRENGTHS

 

Klitschko:

* Jab – Klitschko possesses an educated left hand and can dictate a bout with his jab which is delivered with a force similar to the great Sonny Liston.

 

* Experience – Klitschko was a former decorated amateur, winning the Olympic Gold Medal in ’96 and has competed at a championship level for the last 12 years and has improved exceptionally under the tutelage of Emmanuel Stewart.

 

* Athletic – Klitschko is an amazing athlete for a man his size combining a unique blend of size, speed, and agility.

Haye:

* Speed – Haye has retained his speed after moving up to the heavyweight division.  He owns fast feet and quick hands and that gives him an advantage over many of the plodding heavyweights.

 

* Confidence – Sometimes bordering on overconfidence, Haye has a supreme belief in himself and his abilities.  He doesn’t show any fear even in the face of a much larger adversary.

 

* Fresh – Haye has not gone through many punishing wars.  Even fights that have lasted longer were examples of Haye dishing out much more than he was taking.  He is fighter squarely in the prime of his career.

WEAKNESSES

 

Klitschko:

* Chin – Klitschko is a fighter who looks to be cut out of granite but his chin has shown serious cracks in it.  Corrie Sanders demolished him and in his first win over Samuel Peter, he found himself on the canvas on three occasions.

 

* Conditioning – Klitschko’s conditioning has let him down in the past, most notably in a fight he was clearly dominating when he ran out of gas and was stopped by Lamon Brewster.  Sometimes, he will wear himself out trying to box at a fast pace.

 

* Fragile Psych – While he has scored a number dominant victories since his last scare against Peter in ’05, you can clearly see that Klitschko still has concerns about his chin and conditioning and he shows and unwillingness at times to step on the gas when an opponent his vulnerable.

 

Haye:

* Chin – Haye was only stopped once, by Carl Thompson at cruiserweight but he has been knocked down on other occasions.  He is another specimen built from granite with a chin that has some cracks.

 

* Size Disadvantage – Haye is a well proportioned boxer but he will be giving up nearly 4” in height and approximately 30-40 lbs in weight.  He could wear down against the size and strength of the larger Klitschko.

 

* Heavyweight Competition – Since moving to heavyweight, Haye has beaten the smallish Monte Barret, the large-but-limited Nicolai Valuev, the old and ordinary John Ruiz, and the frightened Audley Harrison.  This will mark the first time, he has met a heavyweight who owns all the tools that Klitschko does.

PREVIOUS BOUT

 

Klitschko:

(9-11-10) Klitschko methodically wore down Samuel Peter, finally finishing him in the 10th round.  In their first meeting in 2005, Klitschko won a unanimous decision but had to climb off the canvas three times.  In the rematch, Klitschko was dominating punishing a tiring Peter before finally flooring him in the 10th and forcing the referee to stop the contest.

 

Haye:

(11-13-10) Haye impressively destroyed rival Audley Harrison, a former Olympic Gold-Medalist.  Harrison fought in a defensive shell and Haye broke through in the 3rd round, blasting him to the canvas and forcing him into retirement.

3 BEST PERFORMANCES

 

Klitschko:

* Chris Byrd (4/22/06) – In a rematch from Klitschko’s unanimous decision win in 2000, he was dominant from the start punishing Byrd, flooring him in the 7th and leaving him bloody and beaten, annexing his IBF title.

 

* Samuel Peter (9/11/10) – Another rematch where Klitschko much more impressively asserted himself.  After Peter’s early aggression, Klitschko took over and issued a methodical beating before sending Peter into defeat in the 10th round.

 

* Ray Mercer (06/29/02) – Klitschko floored the iron-jawed Mercer in the 1st round, and continued punishing him in a surprisingly one-sided affair, becoming the first man to ever stop Mercer.

Haye:

* John Ruiz (4-3-10) – Ruiz is usually lambasted as a slow, boring fighter, but he has been remarkably durable during his career.  Haye made mincemeat out of him flooring him four times in scoring a dominant 9th round victory.

 

* Enzo Maccarinelli (3-8-08) – The ultra hyped cruiserweight title unification showdown between two once-beaten champions was a showcase bout for Haye as he impressively demolished Maccarinelli in two brutal rounds.

 

* Monte Barrett (11/15/08) – Haye made his assault on the heavyweight division with an eye-opening win over fringe contender Barrett.  Haye opened up flooring Barrett five times in stopping him in the 5th round.

QUESTIONS

 

Klitschko:

* Will Haye’s insults get under his skin and force him out of his gameplan?

 

* What if he falls behind early on the cards?

 

* Can he keep up with Haye’s speed?

Haye:

* Has he awoken the sleeping giant?

 

* Can he cope with Klitschko’s imposing size?

 

* How will he react if he gets stunned?

 

PENECALE PREDICTION

Haye will enter the ring with a confident smirk while Klitschko will step between the ropes with an icy, focused glare.  Even during the introductions, Haye will keep trying to instigate and Klitschko will be burning holes in him with a stare.

At the opening bell, Haye will start on his toes, moving in and out of range, and throwing single punches.  Klitschko will keep his distance, trying to set the range with his jab and corner Haye.  The first few rounds will be tense but overall uneventful.

The jab will start become a more dominant weapon for Klitschko in the 3rd round as he uses it to keep Haye off balance and affect him with his superior strength.

By the 5th round, Haye will start to shown the signs of desperation.  He will throw wild haymakers.  Klitschko will counter with solid shots to the face with will cause Haye’s eyes to swell and blood to seep from his nose.

Klitschko will be in firm control by the 7th and Haye will be in retreat mode, his eyes blinking and confidence waning.  A long jab followed by a big right hand will buckle Haye’s knees and he will fall back into the corner and stumble to the canvas.  Haye will rise to his feet and try to survive, but his survival will be short-lived.  Klitschko will force him back to the ropes, landing a double left hook to the head and a short right hand that will send Haye to all fours as the referee is jumping in to wave off the fight.

The Winner by TKO at 2:35 of the 7th round and still the universally ranked Heavyweight Champion of the World…. WLADIMIR “DR. STEELE HAMMER” KLITSCHKO!!!

 

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