Valuev arrives and vows to beat Haye

AFP - Mon, 02 Nov 17:26:00 2009

WBA heavyweight champion Nikolai Valuev has arrived in Nuremberg ready for Saturday's fight with British challenger David Haye insisting he will leave Bavaria with his title.

BOXING Russian heavyweight boxer and current holder of the World Boxing Association (WBA) title Nikolai Valuev and British heavyweight boxer David Haye pose after a news conference in Nuremberg - 0

Valuev, 36, takes on Haye at the Nuremberg Arena with former cruiserweight Haye eager to claim his first world title and the Londoner has accused the 2.13m (7' 0") tall Russian of being a "circus freak" in the pre-fight build-up.

But Valuev has kept silent despite his opponent's taunts as he looks to pick up his 51st professional win with 34 knock-outs and just one defeat, to Ruslan Chagaev in April 2007, on his record.

"I am in great shape and I will take home my title with me," said the Russian.

"I really look forward to the fight."

Haye, 29, is 23cms shorter and nearly 40 kgs lighter than Valuev in what is a true David versus Goliath contest.

The brash Brit - who labelled IBF and WBO heavyweight champion Vladimir Klitschko as 'Bitchko' - has been sparring with his trainer wearing 15cm-high boots to prepare for the height disadvantage he will face.

Referring to the biblical tale of diminutive David slaying the towering Goliath with a single blow to the head, Haye has used the fable in telwvision advertising for the fight.

"David beat Goliath...," says Haye looking into the camera, "....and this is my sling shot," he says holding up his fist.

Valuev has never been knocked down in 51 fights, but Haye insists he can be the first fighter to put the towering Russian on the canvas.

"There's a lot of people saying it's a crazy tactic to knock him out," he said.

"He's never been hurt, never been knocked down. But on my record, 21 out of my 22 victories have come by knockout."

AFP

Comment 38 - 57 of 57

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  1. Haye will give him a boxing lesson round after round­ and Valuev will get the decision.

    Okay, trying to get­ a decision in Germany is not as bad as trying to get­ one in Italy (where if you knock a man out they'll­ disqualify you for hitting him). But it's not that­ much better.

    Valuev isn't German, but his­ management are.

    From david, on Fri 6 Nov 11:38AM

  2. I just hope Valuev beats the piss out of Haye.
    He's­ just a loud mouth @#$%!! just no need to say the things­ he does.
    Anyone who thinks otherwise is obviously a­ meat head like him.
    If its the last itme i ever see or­ hear from Haye i'll be a happy man!!!

    From andrew.shipley1973, on Thu 5 Nov 11:12AM
  3. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    I hope Haye ends up in hospital FOR EVER. What a­ jumped up @#$% pot
    I wanna see his head get mashed. I­ hope his eyes fall out, followed by his tiny­ brain.
    Lets hope it's a good kill. I wanna see Haye­ look like a crash happened to him. Blood everywhere and­ no features left.
    I wonder how long they will keep the­ life support machine on before they pull the plug. TEEE­ HEEEEE.
    Yeah, drop dead... ......boy

    From Truth Man, on Wed 4 Nov 5:05PM
  4. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    I hope Haye ends up in hospital FOR EVER. What a­ jumped up To@@er.
    I wanna see his head get mashed. I­ hope his eyes fall out, followed by his tiny­ brain.
    Lets hope it's a good kill. I wanna see Haye­ look like a crash happened to him. Blood everywhere and­ no features left.
    I wonder how long they will keep the­ life support machine on before they pull the plug. TEEE­ HEEEEE.
    Yeah, drop dead... ......boy

    From Truth Man, on Wed 4 Nov 4:59PM
  5. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    The black geezer must win or the big man will be­ branded a racist.
    Coloured people are not allowed to­ lose, otherwise it would destroy their reputation as­ the greatest and most superior race on the planet.

    From Truth Man, on Wed 4 Nov 4:50PM

  6. Talking is so much cheap than most people think. But­ once you race on those gloves and isolated in the ring­ you can end up eating your words. Everybody have got a­ right to do the talking but sometimes you need to­ revise what you are talking. sometimes too much of­ anything is always bad and anpother one goes 'he­ who knows does not speak much. I cant see Haye taking­ the belt from Valuev let alone knocking him down for a­ count. Haye all the best bruv.

    From kikooti, on Wed 4 Nov 4:34PM
  7. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    BIG MAN TO KILL HAYE IN 3 ROUND!!!!

    From skrn_iliev, on Wed 4 Nov 3:25PM

  8. KNOCK HIS BIG BLOCK OFF

    From billyboy, on Wed 4 Nov 3:17PM

  9. Valuev is built like a brick privy, but he fights like­ one too. He has size and strength but little­ else.

    Carl Thompson may have been a lot smaller when­ he beat Haye, but Thompson is on a different level to­ Valuev with regards to skill, timing, accuracy, and­ hand speed. Besides, in the ring it's often easier­ to beat someone bigger than you than someone­ smaller.

    Haye will win on points, if he avoids a­ wrestling match.

    From Cantiaci, on Wed 4 Nov 2:11PM

  10. "Just noticed how Mr @#$%-sure Haye can't­ look­ Valuev in the eye without wearing shades"

    From Sarah, on Wed 4 Nov 1:32PM

  11. CARL THOMPSON KOd hayes, but hayes has learnt from that­ defeat? my heart says hayes, but Valuev will be to­ strong... Valuev in 4 rounds.... but i hope im wrong­ and hayes wins...

    From dominic, on Wed 4 Nov 1:28PM

  12. Valuev is a beast--yes---but he moves like a bloody­ dinosaur!!!! Haye will pick him apart fairly easily!­ Haye to win in round 9! take my word for it!!!!!

    From Darren, on Wed 4 Nov 1:01PM

  13. Beast to knock Haye out in round 4

    From jonah.smith, on Wed 4 Nov 9:52AM

  14. COME ON DAVID!

    From R G, on Tue 3 Nov 2:08PM
  15. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Please, this fight is a joke. The title is meaningless.­ Fight the Klitschkos pal and we'll see what­ you're made of. Haye thinks he lives in America and­ is obviously trying so hard to be a showman when­ he's just so damn boring. Another black person­ talking about what they've got and how much­ they're worth when in actual fact you ain't­ worth sh it since Setanta went down. Win your poxy­ title and act like a bad man but make sure you duck the­ Klitschkos at all costs yeh. To sser.

    From pesajobs, on Tue 3 Nov 1:55PM

  16. Just noticed how Mr @#$%-sure Haye can't look­ Valuev in the eye without wearing shades.

    From trev h, on Tue 3 Nov 12:15PM

  17. The David/Goliath thing was on when Valuev boxed and­ LOST against Chagaev who is only 1.85m. Haye with his­ 1.92m can almost look into the giant's eyes. As for­ the judges who score in Germany, they will most likely­ not be Germans.
    Friedrich Welke, Florianopolis,­ Brasilien

    From Friedrich, on Tue 3 Nov 11:05AM

  18. if valuev wins on points il let a rugby team shag me­ theres no way he can out work a 16stoner, haye should­ get loads of clean shots off if he doesnt get caught­ clean he should and will win valuev he,s to big to last­ 12rounds i dont like david haye his mouths to big but i­ cant see him losing to that giant turd

    From the blade, on Tue 3 Nov 9:52AM

  19. The bigger they are the harder they fall

    From Alex fergusons big red conk, on Tue 3 Nov 8:12AM

  20. Well good to see you are all so patriotic and getting­ behind your boy. True, Valuev is massive, but he's­ slow and predictable. A bit of a Bob 'the­ beast' Sapp, if you know who he is. ( now that­ would be a fight to see. Get it arranged management )­ Haye is technically very good and has enough attitude­ to take this guy on. If he avoids the tight stuff and­ moves him around, Valuev will tire, and then his­ Waller-esque cardio may well be his undoing. I think­ after 8 rounds it's anybody's fight. Has Haye­ got the stamina though ?

    I predict either Haye puts­ down Valuev 9th round, or dodgy german points decision­ to Valuev if it goes full distance.

    From greenstandard, on Tue 3 Nov 7:09AM
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