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David Haye ponders incredible return to fight winner of Tyson Fury vs Anthony Joshua now ‘injuries have healed’


DAVID HAYE will only return to the ring to fight either Anthony Joshua or Tyson Fury having overcome the injury problems that ended his boxing career.

Last seen coming a cropper in a pair of bouts with Tony Bellew, the former heavyweight champion says only the best could tempt him back.

 Haye last fought in 2018 and might be drawn to one last mega contest

Haye last fought in 2018 and might be drawn to one last mega contestCredit: AFP or licensors

Fans are desperate to see Joshua and Fury square off but respective fights with Kubrat Pulev and Deontay Wilder are first on their agenda, and can only take place after the coronavirus pandemic eases.

Haye believes his body is back in rude health following a spate of injury issues but admits a championship return would push it to the limit.

The 39-year-old told Behind The Gloves: “The only one that I would do it for is the winner of AJ and Tyson Fury because that would be No1 vs No1.

“That’s probably the only one, but not really. It’s a lot to go through.

“I got my body in a good place right now, and I’m in a good place. All my injuries have healed up. There’s been no hardcore training. I’ve been at home with my weights.”

Haye famously ripped his Achilles tendon during his 2017 grudge match defeat to light-heavyweight Bellew.

I’ve enjoyed this time where the intensity has been taken from a ten to a three. Everyone thinks I train super, super hard. Not really.”

David Haye

That shock loss, and the subsequent rematch defeat in five rounds, ended the Londoner’s career which featured a stunning WBA title win over Nikolai Valuev before defeat to Wladimir Klitschko.

He continued: “Normally, when you train for a fight, you’ve got to put your body through it. If you want to knockout big guys and have a chance of winning against giants, you’ve got to sacrifice and put your body through it.

“I’ve enjoyed this time where the intensity has been taken from a ten to a three. Everyone thinks I train super, super hard. Not really.

“I probably train between half an hour to 45-minute every day, but I have a nice routine. I’m not training for an athletic performance.

“I’m training for vanity. When I watch fights now, I think ‘I’d slip this jab, I’d do this and do that.’ That’s the slippery slope when your brain starts going like that.”

And Haye believes that athleticism and power of British champs Joshua and Fury leaves them a class above their contenders in the heavyweight division.

He noted: “I remember watching Anthony Joshua when he fought Andy Ruiz, and I thought, ‘Damn, that would be very, very difficult to beat’.

“Even on my best day, that version of [Joshua], that is boxing. And light on his feet, he’s ready and fearful as well. I thought the same thing when I saw Tyson Fury fight Wilder.

Never-seen-before footage of David Haye totally in awe of Tyson Fury knocking out Deontay Wilder

“I’m watching, and I’m like, ‘That guy [Fury] is a hard guy to beat’.

“So those are the two performances I’ve seen since I’ve been retired where I watched it and gone, ‘That would have been a hard work, no matter what version of me that was’.

“Them guys are big, they’re strong, and they’re in their prime. That version of AJ and that version of Tyson Fury, for any heavyweight in history, would have been a hard, hard night.”

 Joshua's fight with Pulev has been delayed by the pandemic

Joshua’s fight with Pulev has been delayed by the pandemicCredit: PA:Press Association

 Fury must down Wilder again before he can have a shot at unification

Fury must down Wilder again before he can have a shot at unificationCredit: PA:Press Association


Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk


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