HOBOKEN, N.J. (October 28, 2009) – Three-time world cruiserweight champion David “The Haymaker” Haye is excited that his “David vs. Goliath” title fight Nov. 7 against World Boxing Association heavyweight champion Nikolai “The Russian Giant” Valuev is being broadcast in North America live on Pay-Per-View from Nuremberg, Germany.
Valuev-Haye is promoted by Wilfried Sauerland’s Sauerland Event and its Managing Director, Christian Meyer, in association with Don King Productions. The broadcast is being distributed in the United States and Canada by Integrated Sports for live viewing at 3 PM/ET – 12 PM/PT on both cable and satellite pay-per-view via iN Demand, DIRECTV, TVN, DISH Network, Viewer’s Choice, Shaw PPV and Bell TV for a suggested retail price of only $24.95. A replay will be shown that same night at 9 PM/ET, 6 PM/PT.
“This is very important for me,” Haye spoke about the fight airing in North America. “I’m looking to increase my fan base all the time. I hope a lot of American and Canadian fans know of me from what I achieved at cruiserweight, but I’m sure this will be the first time they’ve been able to watch me live since my cruiserweight unification clash with Enzo Maccarinelli.
“I’ve done a lot of training in America in the past and I’d love to defend my heavyweight title there one day. It’s extremely important that my next few fights are shown in the States as there are no great heavyweights being from the USA nowadays. I want to bring back the excitement and charisma that a lot of great American heavyweights of yesteryear brought in the ring.”
The outspoken Haye, (22-1, 21 KOs), from London, England, plans to showcase his superior quickness and athleticism versus Valuev, after leaving the cruiserweight division in ruins as the unified WBA/WBC/WBO cruiserweight champion before moving up to heavyweight last year.
Valuev (50-1, 34 KOs), from St. Petersburg, Russia, is the two-time and current WBA heavyweight champion who holds the distinction of being the tallest and heaviest champion in history at an intimidating 7 feet and 325 pounds.
“The Hayemaker” has taunted Valuev since their fight was first announced. “Getting riled-up and angry is never good for any fighter,” Haye noted. “It doesn’t allow you to think straight or follow a game plan. You start to fight emotionally, rather than tactfully. If I have gotten under Valuev’s skin, it will only affect his performance in a negative way. He’ll fight angry, throw wild punches and become reckless. The more angry punches he throws, the more chances there will be for me to counter punch him and find holes in his defense.
“I’m as freakishly fast as Valuev is freakishly big. That’s the key to this fight. I’m never going to be bigger or stronger than a guy like Valuev, no matter how hard I train or now many weights I lift. My main advantage going into this fight is raw speed, agility and explosiveness. I’ll be able to hit him multiple times for every one punch he attempts to land on me.”
Haye, whose only pro loss was 13 fights and five years ago to Carl Thompson (TKO5), has defeated four world cruiserweight champions: Enzo Maccarinelli (TKO1) for the WBA/WBC/WBO crowns, Jean Marc Mormeck (TKO7) for the WBC/WBA championships, Giacobbe Fragomeni (TKO9) for the European title and “King” Arthur Williams (TKO3).
“Beating Valuev by any means will confirm what I’ve said all along – I’m one of the top heavyweights in the world,” Haye concluded. “It will also fulfil my dream of becoming a world heavyweight champion. If I’m able to knock ‘The Beast’ clean out, them you’re looking at one of the biggest wins in the heavyweight division for years. That will be the evidence I need that my power has transferred up from cruiserweight and that I’m a genuine threat to every heavyweight on the planet.”
For more information about the Valuev-Haye PPV go to www.integratedsportsnet.com.
Integrated Sports is North America’s leading distributor of International Pay-Per-View and Closed Circuit sports events is Integrated Sports. Among the many events brought to North American viewers by Integrated Sports include World Championship and world-class boxing matches featuring Ricky Hatton, Christian Mijares, Evander Holyfield, Roy Jones, Jr., Ivan Calderon, Rocky Martinez, Nicolai Valuev, Amir Kahn, Marco Antonio Barrera, Arthur Abraham, and Ruslan Chagaev. In addition, Integrated Sports has distributed numerous International soccer matches showcasing teams like Club America of Mexico and the National Team of Argentina, and World Championship and world-class mixed martial arts shows featuring Fedor Emelianenko, Tim Sylvia, Bobby Lashley, Bob Sapp, Jeff Monson, and Roy Nelson. For more information on upcoming Integrated Sports events visit www.integratedsportsnet.com.
Don King Productions has promoted over 500 world championship fights with nearly 100 individual boxers having been paid $1 million or more. DKP also holds the distinction of having promoted or co-promoted seven of the 10 largest pay-per-view events in history, as gauged by total buys, including three of the top five: Holyfield vs. Tyson II, 1.99 million buys, June 1997; Tyson vs. Holyfield I, 1.6 million buys, November 1996; and Tyson vs. McNeeley, 1.58 million buys, August 1995.
DKP has promoted or co-promoted 11 of the top 20 highest-grossing live gates in the history of the state of Nevada including five of the top seven: Holyfield vs. Lewis II, paid attendance: 17,078, gross: $16,860,300 (NOTE: Also second-highest live-gate gross for any event in the history of the world.), date: Nov. 13, 1999; Holyfield vs. Tyson II, paid attendance: 16,279, gross: $14,277,200, date: June 28, 1997; Holyfield vs. Tyson I, paid attendance: 16,103, gross: $14,150,700, date: Nov. 9, 1996; Tyson vs. McNeeley, paid attendance: 16,113, gross: $13,965,600, date: Aug. 19, 1995; and Trinidad vs. De La Hoya, paid attendance: 11,184, gross: $12, 949, 500. Sept. 18, 1999.