DAVID HAYE has claimed a member of Deontay Wilder’s team revealed to him the American’s right arm was injured in his rematch with Tyson Fury.
The Bronze Bomber’s reign as WBC heavyweight champion came to an end at the hands of Fury last February, with his corner throwing in the towel in the seventh round.
Wilder, 35, came up with a myriad of unfounded conspiracy theories to try to justify his battering at the hands of the Gypsy King.
But according to Haye, a compromised right arm was the ‘real reason’ why the Olympian came up short in the Sin City showdown.
He told BT Sport: “Him making all those excuses distracts everybody from what I’ve learned was the real excuse, the real reason why he was unable to perform.
“His right arm was severely damaged in that fight.
“So, the Wilder that we saw in the first fight was not there in the second fight.
“I got in on good authority from someone who [knows]. I 100 per cent trust this guy.
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“And he’s super confident that the Deontay Wilder getting into the ring tonight is a completely different specimen to even the first fight.
“In the first fight, Wilder showed the firepower.
“He just didn’t have the discipline, didn’t have the strategy to implement his right hand – which is his biggest weapon.
“And in the second fight, he didn’t have it at all. So, on paper – I understand why everyone is saying this is a foregone conclusion.
“But when you look at the fact that Tyson Fury was fighting someone that was potentially [injured].
“I believe it so and tonight will be very evident if Wilder’s right hand is back intact.”
Fury’s preparations for his trilogy fight with Wilder have been far from ideal.
And Haye – who was supposed to face the 33-year-old in 2013 – believes he’ll have to turn in a career-best performance to see off the knockout artist again.
He said: “He’s had issues in training camp, he’s had family issues.
“He needs to, somehow, find a career-best performance tonight.
“If there’s not a career-best performance, I believe he’s gonna get stopped.”
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Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk
