Given the garbage heap of American heavyweight pretenders, I am hereby putting adoption papers in on WBA ruler David Haye.
Why not, especially after watching our British cousin put on a truly wicked performance in stopping former champion John “Quiet Man” Ruiz in the ninth round Saturday night before 20,000 enthisastic countrymen in Manchester?
Finally, our British cousins can turn their backs on retired Ricky Hatton and Joe Calzaghe and turn their attention to a current say shining star.
I’m not saying that Hayemaker is the next Lennox Lewis but he’s bright, he can fight and he is really fun to watch.
Haye successfully defended his WBA title belt.
“I enjoyed the fight, I enjoyed the crowd…I got the job done,” the effusive Haye said.
Haye described pudgy American pretenders Eddie Chambers and Chris Arreola as “a disgrace to boxing” and said that he “can take out” both of the brothers who have the other heavyweight title belts, Wladimir and Vitali Klitschko.
Haye, who has a son artfully named Cassius Haye, dominated from the start.
His fight plan was nearly perfect as he backpedaled but threw stinging jabs and crunching rights while in a modified retreat.
Haye had Ruiz down in rounds one, five and six but the ex-champion from Chelsea, Mass., and Las Vegas kept getting up.
The only round I awared to the 38 year old Ruiz was the fourth and he barely edged Haye over those three minutes.
I’ll go so far as to say that, unless his chinny, chin chin betrays him as it could, Haye might beat either or both of the Klits.
More importantly, the Hayemaker is a breath of fresh air in a stangnant division.
I didn’t immediately get the official scores but I had it 79-70 in favor Haye after eight rounds.
The only drama at that point was when Miguel Diaz, the Ruiz trainer, would toss in the towel of surrender. It didn’t take him long and it was the right call at the proper time for the weathered Ruiz.
I wouldn’t be surprised to Ruiz pack it in now. He’s made millions of dollars despite all his persistent critics who bemoaned his grapsing and mauling style.
Haye was so slick he never, ever let Ruiz clinch, not even once.
“David’s got a good boxing brain,” Haye manager-trainer Adam Booth said. “He gave an entertaining fight in a homecoming.”
TV analyst and former lightweight champion from Scotland, Jim Watt, summarized Haye nicely, saying, “He is a natural athlete with tremendous power.”
Haye is now more than welcome to cross the pond.
