David Haye talked at Monday?s press conference about how he has a big surprise for Wladimir Klitschko and that he?s going to show him something with his fists that he?s never seen before. This type of talk before a major fight is often a tell-tale sign that the fighter is feeling insecurity about himself and he knows he must do something extraordinary to win.
But it?s all just talk. Roy Jones tried this intimidation tactic by creating the illusion of his supposedly psychopathic alter ego ?RJ? for the rematch with Antonio Tarver. Of course, the crazy wild ?RJ? concept sounded frightening however it failed to intimidate Tarver who knocked out Jones with one punch in the second round.
Mike Tyson talked about all kinds of violence he was going to inflict on Lennox Lewis in 2002 but in the end it was all talk, all bark and no bite. Instead of brutalizing Lewis, Tyson posed a minimal threat to Lewis and suffered a vicious, bloody beating at the hands of the mighty Englishman.
There have been countless examples in boxing where the boxer?s verbal intimidation fails to translate into action and success.
David Haye is clearly trying to take the big talk route to attempt to intimidate Wladimir. Why? Because he realizes how confident Wladimir is and feels the need to try something to offset and disturb the Ukrainian?s unwavering self-belief. After two years of ducking and dodging and lies, Haye knows Wladimir has acquired a critically iimportant mental edge over him.
It was all illustrated at the Monday press conference in Hamburg. At the photo staredown, Haye was at it again, trying to intimidate Wladimir by saying he would knock him out and send him to the hospital and also he would inflict permanent physical damage to him. Wladimir smiled and listened and waved off Emanuel Steward who was standing nearby and wanted to interrupt the face to face discussion.
At the end, when the two were separated, Wladimir continued to smile at Haye and told him, ?I?ll see you on July 2.? Wladimir smiled with wild eyes as Haye talked more. Haye tried to smile too but he looked impotent, unable to verbalize anything to wipe the confidence off of Klitschko?s face. You can see Haye is trying so hard but failing to intimidate Klitschko.
And you get the sense, this will all translate accordingly to the physical segment of this war on Saturday. When it matters most, Haye?s punches, like his words, will be rendered futile and useless.
Some ring observers believe none of this pre-fight interaction matters, only the fight itself is where anything of consequence will happen. But I disagree. Sometimes big fights are won and lost long before the opening bell of round one.
And I strongly believe Klitschko has already broken and defeated Haye. Deep inside, Haye has to be very upset and annoyed to see Wladimir feeling so comfortable and confident and in such a perfect state of mind. When any boxer sees his opponent looking and feeling so genuinely happy and confident, it is very disturbing and disconcerting.
It?s like Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao. Mayweather is totally frustrated and spooked that Pacquiao is not intimidated by his accomplishments and aura. Floyd can?t deal with the fact that Pacquiao eagerly wants to get him in the ring and knock his head off. If Floyd detected any self doubt in Pacquiao he would have accepted the fight long ago. But Floyd is a bully by nature, he must have the upperhand and advantage over all opponents. Floyd has learned he can?t intimidate Pacquiao. And when the intimidator can?t intimidate ? he becomes intimidated himself.
Haye is totally intimidated by Klitschko. And there?s nothing he can do about it now.
