The most intriguing and potentially spectacular world heavyweight title fight since Vitali Klitschko vs. Lennox Lewis is less than three weeks away. Finally, boxing has a heavyweight showdown where it’s business and personal, where both fighters harbor extreme contempt for each other.
The psychological and verbal warfare between Wladimir Klitschko and David Haye has been as good as any Ali fight…
Emanuel Steward: “Too big a man and too much talent and experience, in every area he’s superior. This guy (Haye) has so much pressure on him. He’s never had the pressure he’s gonna have applied for him. It’s a big man that has a mindset of ring control. And all the hype and things – he’ll burn himself out in two rounds, three rounds. Mentally, he’ll be gone. So put a lot of pressure on him. But it’ll be a controlled aggression. We won’t be reckless, you know. Everything will be very well planned. I’m very excited for this fight.”
Adam Booth: “We have to prepare for Wladimir to be the best he’s ever been, the fastest he’s ever been, the most aggressive, the most spiteful, the hardest to hit. We have to prepare for the best Wladimir. So whether he’s pissed off or not, it makes no difference. As long as we prepare for the best Wladimir. Then David Haye has the best chance that he has for winning the fight.”
David Haye: “They’ve all been over the hill, under-motivated. And it’s kind of sad he hasn’t been able to give the fans the entertainment he should have been giving them. And if you put some under-motivated, fat, out of shape, useless, in front of me, I’ll knock ’em out and make it look pretty doing it.”
(Comment: I believe Rahman, Brewster, came in mentally beaten before the fight even started and basically tried to survive. To try to compete against a sharp and accurate and driven Wladimir is an awesomely difficult task. If these same guys were boxing Haye, they’d have had a different mental outlook.)
“He hasn’t done it. He goes seven round with Rahman. This isn’t gonna be like that. This is gonna be electric. Everyone knows what the UK fans are like. They go bananas. And there’s gonna be a lot of people wearing fortunately the T-shirt, that are selling like hot cakes, of the decapitated heads of him and his brother. I’ve actually made sure it says Hayemaker vs. Klitschko so people could wear if for the next fight.”
“I’m healthy, I’m happy, I’m in my prime, I’m 28-years-old, fresh, no miles on the clock and this is my time to shine. The American boxing public – they know their boxing, they know what they’re looking at. And you can try putting Wladimir and Ibragimov in front of ’em and they know it sucks, they know this guy’s garbage. And there’s gonna be a changing of the guard. You’re gonna have the old six-foot-seven, jab, jab and grab against the Hayemaker coming out there throwing bombs. Giving people what they came to see – and that’s excitement.”
“I’m not gonna let him jab me in the face all night. I’m gonna go out there and force him to fight every second of every round. He doesn’t like to fight. The guy is a – I don’t want to make him cry again. He’s an intelligent guy, he’s got a PHD in whatever he’s got it in. What’s he got it in anyway? What is it? Bernd? Do you know what his PHD is in? (Knockout, replies Bernd Bronte.) Knockout. Well mines in trash talking and so we’ll see if his PHD means what on June 20. Do not blink, seriously, do no blink. Don’t go to the toilet. Sit down and enjoy the new heavyweight sensation and that’s David Haye, the Hayemaker.”
Wladimir Klitschko: “To be honest with you guys, I love performing. That’s why I have so many fights. I love to stay busy. And I was looking forward to June 20 when Mr. Haye David Haye promised we were gonna fight at Chelsea Stadium. Wow, I said, that’s exciting. Chelsea Stadium. I was at a soccer game. That’s really a great, amazing stadium.”
“I love to get to the camp. I’m not struggling, I just love the business we’re involved in. And I tell you his promises which David Haye said are hot words. And I will make sure on June 20th with this jab – keep watching you will get a good pizza face with this jab. And I will knock you out in the 12th. And I hope, I hope and wish it’s gonna happen in the 12th, not earlier. Emanuel, I know you wish it will little bit in a different way. Please let me enjoy the process.”
“At the press conference after the fight I will make you eat your words and the T-shirt as well. It’s not funny, you think you’re a great promoter. I’ll make you a great loser. To touch and captivate my family members and make fun of it, throwing his dead body on the canvas, it’s not funny. You’re trying to get under my skin. You got under my skin. And I got perfect motivation for the next training weeks. And a great motivation for the fight. Whatever it takes in the fight to make you lose, I will do it. I promise.”
“This event is gonna be like Emanuel Steward said – my signature fight.”