WELL, Claude’s had his say (which you can read in the November 6 Boxing News), but what do the great and the good of the boxing world (plus the rest of the BN staff have to say about David Haye v Nikolay Valuev on Saturday night and, more importantly, who do they think is going to win? We were curious too, so we went and asked them.

Anthony Farnell

I’m going with Valuev. I think if Haye can’t get him out of there in two rounds then Valuev wins on points. Valuev’s size in the clinches will take its toll and Valuev could take him out late on.

Frankie Gavin

I think Valuev is going to stop him. He’s too big, too strong. If Haye catches him flush he can stop him but I don’t think he’s got the presence to overwhelm him.

Johnny Eames

I’m going to go with David Haye. I don’t think it’s going to be an easy fight but I can’t see it being a knockout. I think he’s got to lever his punches upwards to hit him with any force but I can see David demoralising him with his speed, taking the mick out of him and making him angry. David; clear points win.

Ian Napa

I’m going for Haye because of his speed and youth. I look at a guy of Valuev’s size and in a 12-round fight I think youth will win the fight.

It won’t go the distance. David doesn’t have the discipline to box 12 rounds, he comes banging and takes chances. It wouldn’t surprise me if he knocks the Russian out.

Duke McKenzie

I’m leaning towards David because I think Valuev is very beatable. If David uses his brain – and I know he can – all he’s got to do is, if he’s super-fit, which I’m sure he will be, he will drive the kid mad. If an old man like Holyfield can outbox Valuev a guy like David can.

He can terrorise him and take him somewhere he has never been before. I’m sticking my neck out and saying Haye stops him in eight or nine rounds. It could be one of the biggest giant-killings in boxing history.

Robert McCracken

If he’s got his conditioning right Haye wins. I think he will outbox Valuev. He’s got the skills to totally outbox him. He’s got loads of ability but it’s not an easy job because of the size. Haye on points.

Joe Gallagher

If Dave Haye has learned the lessons of the Carl Thompson fight, he has a chance of pulling it off.

But Haye’s not had many gruelling 12-rounders.

Evander Holyfield almost beat Valuev, but Evander is always fit and technically very good. Did Valuev take him lightly? He’ll be very determined and focused for Haye.

And Haye isn’t as compact as Holyfield, he keeps his hands low. So Valuev may have more chance of catching Haye.

If Haye lets his shots go, he can win on points. But he may run out of gas. I just think Haye will touch down at some point in the fight. There’s devilment in him; sooner or later, he will exchange. Valuev is slow and lumbering, but Haye can’t get inside.

It could be like a plane buzzing around King Kong.

Andy Lee

I think Haye will win. People are getting carried away with Valuev because he’s such a big man but Evander Holyfield, John Ruiz and Larry Donald all almost beat him, so I’m sure Haye can. He’ll just move too fast, move and hit. I assume he’ll get a fair crack over there. You see the two of them together and think ‘how is Haye going to beat him?’ but Holyfield was well past his best and moved around him, outboxing him.

Billy Graham

Valuev is really slow and for me David is the most exciting heavyweight in the world and I admire him because he will fight anybody. I’ve seen the pictures of them stood together and it’s ridiculous. But I think David could be a bit too quick, although I can’t see him knocking Valuev out. Haye on points.

Danny Williams

I initially went on record saying I thought Haye would win but then I heard his main sparring partner was Danny Watts. The I heard Julius Long! Long is a journeyman, Audley Harrison beat him in a round and everyone beats him. Watts was a good fighter in his day but hasn’t fought for years. I thought Haye would outbox him but now, because of the sparring, I think he’ll get stopped late on.

Jamie Moore

Haye’s gonna’ win pretty early. I think he’s too quick and Valuev will be shocked a bit by his power. Haye’s sharpness will shock him, a bit like when Corrie Sanders done Wladimir Klitschko and Dave is a lot more dynamic than Sanders. I’ve had a bet on the second and third rounds at 25-1 each.

Daniel Herbert

For all his exciting talk, I think Haye will move around the ring and pick off the huge Valuev, rather than try for a spectacular knockout. The question is: can he concentrate for the whole 12 rounds, or will he get careless and allow the Russian to catch him?

It could be a fight with long spells of little happening, punctuated by short bursts of thrills when Haye tags Valuev with a good shot and opens up. I think the Londoner will put enough points in the bag and hold his way through any rough spells to win a distance fight.

Tris Dixon

Haye doesn’t take shots to the top of the head too well and if he’s going to be hit anywhere it’s there.

Despite Haye’s power, Valuev has always shown willingness to stand his ground and if Haye can’t budge him the Londoner could get exhausted.

However, I don’t envisage much trading and I certainly don’t anticipate consistent fireworks. I doubt it will be a war. But it figures to be intriguing all the way and Haye can potshot his way to a points win.

Nick Bond

The main concern for the Haye camp is that he's been hurt and down on several occasions and stopped – albeit a while ago – by Carl Thompson.

The longer the fight goes on, the more chance Valuev has to catch him. It doesn't even need to be a full-blooded shot, even a clip to the top of the head or temple from the 23st giant will be enough to floor or even KO Haye.

Haye has the ability to put in a performance like Amir Khan did when he won his world title. That would take discipline and concentration, coupled with Haye's speed and skill – he's more than capable of that. But I think the warrior mentality that Haye possesses will come to the fore and he won't want to be in a stinker in the biggest fight of his life.

He'll look to make a statement – and what a statement it will be if he knocks out the 7ft Russian in the devastating fashion that I think he will.

Valuev will be too easy to hit and Haye will stop him in around 5 rounds.

Danny Flexen

Valuev is an underrated fighter – slow and basic he may be but he does the simple things well. Firm and busy jab? Check. Hard follow-up right hand? Check. Uses his size to his advantage? Check.

Haye's biggest asset in this fight isn't his power for once, but his speed, especially of foot. He can get in and out to unload far quicker than Evander Holyfield did against the Russian last year, and "The Real Deal" nearly won!

Haye can box to a gameplan – he was a world-class amateur after all – and Valuev has never been down, two things which seem to point towards a points win for the "Hayemaker". However, I'm not sure Valuev has ever been tagged cleanly by a world-class puncher and, rest assured, Haye fits comfortably into that category. He is also a fine finisher when he has a man hurt and I can see him biding his time early on before destroying the giant between rounds seven and nine.