Image by Reuters
Back in October, David Haye (26-2, 24 KOs) told me personally that he was making his return. We were sitting around a coffee table while he was signing gloves and chatting about the local amateur scene. He’d stepped in last minute to help out for a charity event I was running, and I took the chance to have a chat with him about his career, and his future.
He acknowledged that he was in the early stages of training for his next fight in 2016. He didn’t mention the opponent. I don’t suppose Mark de Mori (30-1-2, 26 KOs) had got the call yet. Away from the cameras, David seemed like a quality guy. He was extremely friendly, was willing to give anyone the time of day, and clearly enjoyed being the center of attention. He’s also massive. I’m a big lad, but David made me feel tiny. I’ve seen him listed as 6’3″… He’s not.
Of course, he doesn’t look that way when he’s weighing in against some of the freakishly large men of the heavyweight division. David regularly has to face Goliath. He plays in a division of monsters. Men carved from mounds of granite or lard, but mounds nonetheless. The heavyweight division’s biggest names all number around 6ft6 – 6ft9, and this makes David the little guy of the division. However, he’s often got by on speed and power. The former undisputed cruiserweight champion had bags of speed and was a good puncher.
On Saturday night, we find out if David Haye still has those attributes, when he takes on relative unknown Mark de Mori in the hope of dusting off the rust and getting the engine running again. The 33-year old, over-muscled, slightly bizarre looking de Mori, appears to be coming in as a test of whether Haye still has it. This is a fascinating clash of styles for all to enjoy. And by that I mean that neither man can dress themselves. This likely won’t be a fascinating clash in the ring.
But for all my denigration of this fight, after Haye’s three and a half years out of the sport, it’s not out of the question that this fight might get interesting. With a handful of questionable injuries, and the possibility that he might not really want it anymore, there is definitely a chance that de Mori might be able to capitalize on an ageing Haye not having enough to keep him off.
It’s about desire, guys. Which man wants it more? Which of these two muscly warriors wants to punch the other in the face more? Well, that’s what the good people of Dave will be telling you, at least.
The most intriguing part of the fight for many in Britain, has been the decision to air it on Dave–the home of witty banter. Now, for all of the Americans that don’t get the joke, Dave is the go to for reruns of old BBC comedies, and the general resting place of middle-aged-man TV. You’ve got Mock the Week, an unhealthy amount of Michael McIntyre based ‘entertainment,’ and so many Top Gear reruns your old man’s ill-fated leather jacket will be smoking with excitement.
As proof of the calibre we’ve come to expect of the channel, the preceding show before the fight will be a Storage Hunters celebrity special. Let that sink in for a moment. Just before we watch David Haye and Mark de Mori fight, we can also catch up on the contents of some Z-list’s shed. Marvellous.
Despite all the jokes about Dave on Dave, and the inevitable WITTY #LAD BANTER that will be thrown around on Saturday night, this is an interesting move by Haye, and on some level I commend him for giving it a shot. He’s taking a punt at putting himself in front of as many eyes as possible, and he’s going his own way. It’s a strange way, but David Haye is a little strange.
So why not? If he gets enough people tuning in, and he looks spectacular, then it has the potential to get a bit of buzz around Haye again, and it could lead him in to a big fight in the near future. And maybe this time it could be aired on Myspace.
When it comes down to it, this fight has very little intrigue to it. De Mori isn’t much more than a mullet with a target on it, and most of the excitement for me is the hilarity of boxing on Dave. I’m sure plenty of people will tune in just because Haye still has a big enough name, but unless Haye has lost several steps, he will win this fight easily.
This is a mismatch with a few talking points. Like David’s latest hairstyle, and the potential for Jeremy Clarkson to fight his producer on the undercard. If you’ve been invited to your Nan’s birthday, don’t miss it for this. That’s all I’m saying.
But if Haye can smash de Mori in a few rounds, then it will be onwards and upwards for the 35-year old Londoner, and I’m all for his reintroduction to the mix. He can offer some excitement, and he’s definitely got plenty of personality. Fights against Fury, Wilder or Joshua would be exciting prospects for Haye and for many British fans. I might not like his goatee, but I welcome him back to the sport, however long it lasts.
