Nikolai Valuev vs David Haye Result

Dirrell Eat Your Heart Out!

David Haye would have made Willie Pep proud in Berlin on 7th November. Willie Pep - for those who don't know - reputedly won a round without throwing a punch. The Hayemaker wasn't quite that good but according to some unofficial boxing stats floating around the internet, which I'm not inclined to dispute, he landed an average of eight punches per round, so he wasn't far off. Even more remarkable is that David Haye won the WBA heavyweight belt by decision while landing less than a 100 punches in 12 rounds.

There are obvious echoes with the Carl Froch vs Andre Dirrell bout here. Haye's tactics were negative; he was perpetually on the back foot, constantly evading, relying near exclusively on the counter; at several points he actually broke into a light jog, while Nikolai Valuev was the aggressor relentlessly hunting down his man, attempting to pin him in the corner. Not only that, there was the contentious issue of a debated decision in both fights; a decision which could have gone either way. However there are also some crucial differences. First off, Haye has not made a career out of this kind of performance, while Dirrell always employs such tactics unless he is unable to bully a chump. Furthermore, Haye was fighting a man mountain and was giving away seven stone in weight and nearly one foot in height, while Dirrell was matched with a physical equal. The other important difference is that Carl Froch never looked as poor as Valuev - if the Russian was not blessed with such stature he wouldn't get a sniff of a world title. Let's be frank, he is an appalling boxer.

Haye also claimed to have broken his right hand in the third round and had it not been for the injury he would have fought a more aggressive fight. Well, maybe, but I'm not so sure this is the truth. After all, he fought the first two rounds in the same manner as all the others (with the exception of the 12th) and there were no obvious signs of discomfort when he threw the right. Unlike, for example, Arturo Gatti who grimaced in agony every time he hit Micky Ward with his right in their third bout. Perhaps I'm being unfair by questioning Haye's integrity, maybe he did break a bone and was forced into negative tactics, but there was no evidence of this in the fight and we only have his word to support it.

I have very mixed feelings about the judge's decision. On the one hand Valuev was the aggressor, and threw many more punches, while Haye constantly ran and threw much less. On the other hand, Valuev looked awfully one dimensional, immobile and generally amateurish - he didn't land anything except tentative jabs, whereas Haye connected with some real monsters. Perhaps the most disappointing aspect is that Haye had all the tools to comprehensively win and probably knock the Russian out, yet he played it so safe.

The 12th was a textbook example of how he could have dominated. While still fighting on the back-foot he pounced with some hugely impressive combos and Valuev was in real trouble. The giant Russian had no answer to the speed and more skillful boxing he was up against. Two minutes into the round, a one-two combo carved him open, which Haye then exploited with a peach of a left hook. The legs buckled and Valuev launched into the funky chicken, of which Zab Judah is still the renowned master. It looked as if Haye would finish him there and then but Valuev tied him up and saw out the remaining minute of the fight.

Germany is notorious for home town decisions, so it was very surprising to see Haye strutting and preening before the announcement like he knew something we didn't. British commentators Jim Watt and Ian Darke on Sky had Valuev ahead on the cards and I thought it could go either way, which in Germany means their way, yet remarkably Haye was awarded the win.

The Londoner probably did do enough for the decision despite large swathes of passivity. He clearly demonstrated a technical level of boxing that was far more advanced than his opponent plus he dominated in the final round and came close to a knock out win. As for Valuev, he is the worst heavyweight champion I have ever seen and I include Frank Bruno in that. His performance against Haye reminded me of the exhibition bout between Shaquille O'Neal and Oscar De la Hoya, where Shaq was poorer in every aspect but the gulf in size between the two men made it very difficult for De La Hoya and kept him in the bout.

Valuev will keep on fighting, I'm sure, but this is probably his last big pay day. The American networks aren't interested in him and, after this performance, hopefully Sky will not be either. Every fight I've seen of his has been chronically dull and most broadcasters and fans have cottoned onto this. As for Haye, the immediate post-fight talk has been of a showdown with one of the Klitchko's, probably Vladimir. Despite the advanced years of the Ukrainian this match-up is still a fascinating prospect and the biggest fight the heavyweight division can offer right now. I have no doubt it will provide the spectacle and entertainment this bout clearly didn't.