Mike Tyson believes David Haye will become boxing’s next superstar.
The former unified heavyweight king says the WBA heavyweight champion has what it takes to revolutionise the sport and inspire a generation.
He believes Haye has the looks and the charisma to captivate sports fans and says if he can produce a performance against Audley Harrison that will make people sit up and take notice, the world is his oyster.
“I like Dave, I want him to succeed – and he has everything to succeed if he wins two or three more fights,” Tyson told Johnny Nelson on Sky Sports News.
“If he knocks Audley out in stunning fashion, he has the opportunity to become a borderline star.
“He has great looks – that’s what’s amazing about him, his looks. He’s young, he’s vibrant and he can start a new revolution among the young people in sport.”
Should Haye beat Harrison all the talk will turn to a unification fight with either of the Klitschko brothers, but Tsyon says he is right to bide his time.
He is happy for the showdown to be put on hold and for the Brit to take on fighters who have fought the Ukrainian brothers, to see how he compares. Then, he says, the biggest fight in boxing outside Manny Pacquiao-Floyd Mayweather can be made.
Tyson also dismisses talk that the heavyweight title has been diminished.
The self-appointed baddest man on the planet was best-known for his battles with Evander Holyfield, Lennox Lewis and Donovan ‘Razor’ Ruddock at a time when boxing was always big news worldwide.
A lack of top-class Americans has lowered interest in the division in America, but Tyson still believes it stands at the pinnacle of sport.
“I want to see it, fight fans want to see it – it’s the heavyweight championship of the world,” he said of Best of Enemies.
“Regardless of what people say, that deserves merit. I don’t care where you come from, whether your English, from China, from Russia, the heavyweight champion of the world deserves respect from everyone in boxing.
“People can say this and that but why didn’t they win the championship? Why didn’t their fighter win the championship.”
