DAVID HAYE believes he will snare a fight with Anthony Joshua before Tyson Fury.
“I saw something from Eddie Hearn [Joshua’s promoter] saying he doesn’t envisage fighting myself until early next year, which I understand. He’s got some fights to do this year. Then the likelihood it’ll probably be the early part of next year if he continues to win, which I think he will,” said Haye, speaking at Tuesday’s public workout. “In theory that makes sense but Tyson Fury has got Wladimir Klitschko first. He fights on the same night [potentially as Joshua], July 9 and if he wins that, he then has to fight in this WBA tournament that he’s in, he has to fight a guy called Luis Ortiz. So I’m not sure how long that’s going to take to get together, with the WBA situation Tyson Fury’s tied up for a while.”
David can therefore see a route that leads him to Joshua. “If he fights me he might expect to get me out in a couple of rounds but it’s never happened before and I don’t expect it too happen. The fact people are so behind him and he’s looked so convincing, that for me is why we’re boxing. We’re boxing for those fights where we’re not sure what’s going to happen and I’m really looking forward to it. He’s saying he wants two fights, not two easy fights, but two sort of voluntary fights, on July 9, Wembley I believe, I’m fighting May 21 then I’m fighting Shannon Briggs a few months later. We’ve both got our next two fights lined up. Hopefully the third and fourth fight, that’s when myself and Anthony Joshua can get it on,” he said.
He assessed Joshua’s win over Charles Martin on Saturday. “He boxed great,” David said. “A punch perfect performance, he went out there and did exactly what he needed to do to win the heavyweight title. Clean shots, didn’t take any in the process so a big tick. We weren’t sure what Martin would bring to the table one of the unknowns. Joshua was a level above. Interesting now to see how he progresses. I’m sure he’ll want to get a few rounds under his belt before getting in there with some of the bigger names in the division.
“The fight before, Dillian Whyte, he struggled a little in that one but he seemed like he learned his lessons from that. It would be nice for him to get in the ring with someone who’s going to extend him a little and have to figure some things out as he goes. But who can do that?
“He looked calm and composed. Exciting, very, very happy for him.”
