‘All or nothing’ for Haye

David Haye’s impending first defence of his WBA title poses a risk that makes this the most important fight of the 29-year-old Brit’s career.

The inbuilt dangers for Haye in this defence though aren’t just that Ruiz is a seasoned boxer who has fought at world level for over 10 years now and has 44 wins to his name, but the fact that there is no rematch clause within the bout. This means that if Haye were to lose he may possibly slip to the bottom of the pile and have to rebuild his heavyweight career. Also a loss would mean missing out on a match up against one of the ‘boxing brothers of destruction’, the Klitschkos’.

Further than this, Haye has stated in the past that he wants a fast-track to the top and if he were to lose this weekend, that may not be possible. Haye has also hinted in the past that wants to retire at around 2011 after hopefully unifying the heavyweight titles. Raising questions as to whether Haye would maybe consider retirement after realising that unifying all of the titles may not be achievable. In saying this, the situation is purely hypothetical, but could a loss to John Ruiz, depending upon its nature, demoralise Haye so much that he could consider ending his heavyweight mission?

Fortunately for Haye, both of the Klitschko brothers have stated their willingness to fight him making his dream very much a reality and the fact that Haye has the momentum behind him and will have home advantage at the weekend means he is seen as the favourite by most. But 38-year-old American Ruiz does pose a tough test for Haye as he will be aiming to grind Haye down bringing him into a brawl. Haye will be looking to knockout a man that has only ever been stopped once in his previous 50 plus fights.

This fight at the MEN will mark the return of world heavyweight title fights to the country for almost a decade. The last one being in 2000, when undisputed heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis beat South African Francois Botha. Thus heaping the pressure on Haye to deliver the goods, and increase the feel of an ‘all or nothing’ occasion.

The long wait for Britain to have another Heavyweight champion has meant that Haye’s success has well and truly captivated the nation. But the feeling very much is that Haye is going for one big push for glory in terms of the heavyweight division. He wins against Ruiz and a shot at one of the dominant Klitschko brother’s lies in wait and Haye will have the opportunity to gauge himself against the best. But the thought of a convincing loss really does raise questions as to what would be next for Haye.

April 3rd will mark either, the continued rise of David Haye and his hopes of heavyweight greatness, or, a night that will see the extinguishing of the shining light for British heavyweight boxing, a shining light that we are very much in need of.

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