David Haye vs Tony Bellew 2
With the David Haye vs Tony Bellew rematch set for May 5th, BoxBets thought it was time to look back at their first encounter. Below you will see our post-fight analysis – written just after the first fight had finished; the betting odds for the upcoming rematch; and a promotional video to really get you excited about the big bout.
David Haye vs Tony Bellew 1:
Pre-fight there were question marks over both fighters – How would Bellew cope stepping up to Heavyweight for the first time? How much has Haye got left? Will his shoulder last the distance? Those aforementioned questions, along with all the bad blood and verbal insults, had made for an intriguing contest.
If Haye was going to win, then the smart money suggested it would happen early in the fight. If it went over six rounds then it headed into Bellew territory, owing to the fact that Haye’s long lay-off and history of injuries might catch up with him. Bellew winning due to a Haye retirement (likely to be caused by a breakdown of his rebuilt shoulder) was also being mooted.
The fight started off as a fairly tense affair, with each boxer happy to size each other up and not risk doing anything too adventurous. However, the bout soon came to life in the sixth round when it became clear Haye had developed an injury – not related to his shoulder, but in fact his Achilles tendon. Interestingly, Haye had actually visited a specialist in Germany prior to the fight about said body part.
Courtesy of Sky Sports
In what must be in consideration for ‘Round of the Year’, the sixth saw Bellew and Haye stand toe-to-toe and slug it out, with wild, looping shots being the order of the day. Haye probably realised that with his injury he may not last the distance and so was trying to take Bellew out while he still had the chance; for Bellew it was time to try and finish off a clearly wounded opponent. Haye did hit the canvas twice due to being unable to stand properly, but the third time was because of a flurry of punches from Bellew which led the referee to administer the count.
The seventh saw Bellew go in for the kill, but he was unable to finish the job. In fact, the efforts of the sixth and seventh rounds saw a more subdued Bellew from there on in as he tried to recover his energy. Perhaps carrying the extra weight was also taking it’s toll on his stamina.
Courtesy of Sky Sports
Despite his immobility, and like a wounded bear, Haye was still proving dangerous. He would try to lure his opponent in and then unleash big shots, hoping to secure victory with one, big punch.
The end finally came in the eleventh – perhaps longer than most people were expecting – when Bellew trapped Haye on the ropes and unleashed a barrage of punches. Haye, unable to block most of the shots, was sent through the ropes and into the press-pack with their cameras at the ready. Although he did manage to get back up and into the ring, his corner had seen enough – trainer Shane McGuigan threw in the towel to save his man from any further punishment.
During the post fight interview, Tony Bellew spoke highly of Haye’s heart and courage to continue fighting despite having a serious impediment. After so much had been made about Haye using excuses in the past, and Bellew claiming he would quit during this fight, David Haye probably felt there was no way he could give-up – his reputation was on the line.
Courtesy of Sky Sports
Haye himself didn’t mention his injury – he has clearly learned from the ‘sore toe incident’ following his loss to Wladimir Klitschko. Instead, he said: “He [Bellew] won fair and square”. Better to let the media bring up the Achilles problem rather than the boxer himself…
So where now for both boxers? Haye’s chances of fighting for the heavyweight title have now been severely hampered. He himself says he must go through Bellew before chasing any of the big names in the Heavyweight division. Bellew suggested he could indeed face Haye again in a rematch, but his promoter, Eddie Hearn, seems more keen on Tony challenging one of the Heavyweight belt holders. Watch this space… Bet on the Rematch?
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