David Haye

David Haye (born 13 October 1980) is a British boxer. He is the WBA heavyweight champion and is nicknamed "The Hayemaker". He is 1.91 metres (6 feet 3 inches) tall. Before he became a heavyweight, he boxed in the cruiserweight division, where he held all the major titles. His most famous cruiserweight fights were against Jean-Marc Mormeck and Enzo Maccarinell. He has lost only once in his career.

Haye moved up to the heavyweight division and beat Monte Barrett in 2008. In October 2009, he beat Nikolai Valuev, who is 7 feet tall, to become the WBA champion. In 2010, he beat John Ruiz.  He defended his title against fellow Briton Audley Harrison in November 2010.

 Career 

Haye started his career as an amateur. He reached the finals of the 2001 world amateur championship in the heavyweight class, where he lost to Odlanier Solis.Daley, Kieran. "Sun shines for Haye even in defeat", The Independent, 10 June 2001. He turned professional in the cruiserweight division in December 2002. His first professional fight was meant to be against Valeri Semishkur, but Semishkur pulled out.Mannion, Ken. "Boxing: Haye hit by late change", The Independent, 7 December 2002. Instead, Haye fought and beat Tony Booth on 8 December 2002.Bunch, Steve. "Boxing: Haye quick to make his mark as Burke realises potential", The Independent, 9 December 2002. He had seven fights in 2003, and won all of them. He won his tenth fight in a row when he beat Arthur Williams on 12 May 2004."Haye proves his potential", BBC Sport, 12 May 2004. He won those ten fights with a total of only 20 rounds."Haye set for Wembley tilt", BBC Sport, 22 July 2004. In his match against IBO champion Carl Thompson on 10 September 2004, he lost for the first time in his career."Thompson retains IBO title", BBC Sport, 10 September 2004. In his next match, on 10 December 2004, he beat Semishkur in the first round.Lewis, Ron. "Hatton ready to satisfy craving for Tszyu", The Times, 11 December 2004.

Haye won the European title on 16 December 2006 when he beat Alexander Gurov. He won the match after only 45 seconds."Haye hammer lands European title", BBC Sport, 16 December 2006. On 24 March 2007, in his first match as European champion, he beat Lasse Johansen."Haye labours to European defence", BBC Sport, 25 March 2006. On 27 April 2007, he had his first heavyweight fight, against Tomasz Bonin. Haye won in the first round."Haye powers to win as heavyweight", BBC Sport, 27 April 2007. Shortly after the fight, Haye said he had plans to move up to the heavyweight division. "I'm absolutely certain I can rule the heavyweight roost", he said."Haye eyes heavyweight domination", BBC Sport, 2 May 2007. On 10 November 2007, he beat Jean-Marc Mormeck to win the WBA, WBC, and Ring magazine titles. Haye was knocked down in the fourth round, but hit Mormeck with a series of blows in the seventh to win by technical knockout. He became the UK's sixth boxing champion."Haye stuns Mormeck to win titles", BBC Sport, 10 November 2007.
For Ring title, see Doogan, Brian. "Haye-Maccarinelli conjures memories of Benn-Eubank", ESPN, 5 March 2008. () (16 November 2010). On 8 March 2008, he beat Enzo Maccarinelli to win the WBO title. Haye hit Maccarinelli with two big punches before the referee stopped the match. Haye said he planned to move up to the heavyweight division.Dirs, Ben. "Awesome Haye stops Maccarinelli", BBC Sport, 9 March 2008. A few weeks after the fight, Wladimir Klitschko, the IBF, IBO, and WBO heavyweight champion, said he wanted to fight Haye."Klitschko welcomes Haye challenge", BBC Sport, 27 March 2008.

Haye gave away his titles at cruiserweight and moved up to the heavyweight division. He beat Monte Barrett on 15 November 2008, winning in the fifth round."Stunning Haye demolishes Barrett", BBC Sport, 15 November 2008. Before the fight, he said fighting Barrett was a big risk and that he might have retired if he lost.Dirs, Ben. "Barrett a 'massive gamble' – Haye", BBC Sport, 2 October 2008. He was meant to fight Wladimir on 20 June 2009, but pulled out."Haye eyes second Klitschko option", BBC Sport, 8 June 2009. On 31 October 2009, he beat Nikolai Valuev, who is 7 feet tall, to become the WBA champion.Dirs, Ben. "Haye shocks Valuev to take title", BBC Sport, 7 November 2009. Haye was 98 pounds lighter than Valuev; before this fight, no-one had won a heavyweight title match weighing this much less than their opponent.Davies, Gareth D. "David Haye celebrates world heavyweight title win over Nikolai Valuev", The Daily Telegraph, 8 November 2009. (16 November 2010). Haye said he has wanted to be the heavyweight champion since he was a toddler.Keogh, Frank. "The making of Haye", BBC Sport, 9 November 2009. He then beat John Ruiz on 3 April 2010Dirs, Ben. "David Haye stops John Ruiz to retain heavyweight title", BBC Sport, 3 April 2010. and Audley Harrison on 13 November 2010."David Haye stops Audley Harrison to retain WBA title", BBC Sport, 13 November 2010. He now says he wants to fight Wladimir or his brother Vitali, who holds the WBC belt.Dirs, Ben. "David Haye targets Klitschko brothers for next fight", BBC Sport, 14 November 2010. The two brothers are regarded as the best heavyweights in the world. Haye says he plans to retire before his 31st birthday.

Haye was born on 13 October 1980 in Bermondsey, London. He went to Snowsfield primary school and Bacon's College. Jade Goody, winner of the television show Big Brother, was in his class.Davies, Gareth D. "My School Sport: David Haye", The Daily Telegraph, 20 March 2007. Archive (16 November 2010).  Haye is married and has a son called Cassius, named after Cassius Clay, the birth name of Muhammad Ali.Lewis, Ron. "Nikolay Valuev cut down to size by David Haye’s strength of will", The Times, 9 November 2009. His training camp is based in Kyrenia, Northern Cyprus."David Haye: heavy duty", The Daily Telegraph, 1 April 2010. (16 November 2010). He started training there in 2007 and sometimes fights with the Northern Cyprus flag on his shorts.Slot, Owen. "Northern Cyprus cheers David Haye's win over Nikolay Valuev", The Times, 10 November 2009. He supports the football team Millwall.Dart, Tom. "David Haye sees Millwall through in FA Cup", The Times, 10 November 2009. In September 2010, a newspaper in Northern Cyprus said Haye had become a citizen of Northern Cyprus."David Haye KKTC şortu giydi, yurttaşlığı aldı"  (Google Translate), Kibris Postasi, 21 September 2010.

 References 

 Other websites 
Official website 
List of fights 

Category:1980 births
Category:Living people
Category:Black British sportspeople
Category:British boxers
Category:People from the London Borough of Southwark
Category:Sportspeople from London