DAVID HAYE won the WBA world heavyweight title in Nuremberg last night when he outpointed the giant Russian Nikolai Valuev. It was a tactical triumph for Haye, who gave away seven stone in weight and produced a calculated performance, staying well clear of trouble while launching the odd attack.
Haye became Britain's first heavyweight champion since Lennox Lewis was dethroned in 2004. Brought up in a council flat in Bermondsey, he has been handed a prize as valuable as almost any lottery ticket, but the contest was in truth a dull affair and only a late burst of aggression in the 12th and final round brought Haye a deserved victory. Until then, he had been too negative in front of the limited and ponderous Valuev. "I hurt my right hand when I hit his head early on," Haye said. "It was like hitting a brick wall and it might be broken. But I don't care. I found a way to win."
He was right, but many experts were surprised that he was given the decision without taking the fight to the champion. One judge scored the contest a draw, while the other two made Haye the winner by four points. One could have argued otherwise, for with so few meaningful punches being landed, the decision had to be largely subjective. Neither man clearly deserved victory.
Nevertheless, the win opens up any number of opportunities for Haye. The heavyweight division has desperately needed an articulate and exciting boxer, and especially one who is not from Eastern Europe. Haye fits the bill and some big-money matches await him. And Haye, surely, has more to offer in attack.
The enormous disparity in size, and Haye's tasteless pre-fight taunting of Valuev, whom he said was the "ugliest person I've ever seen," as well as "hairy and smelly", brought unusual and prurient interest in the event, but professional boxing has always been show-business first, competitive sport second.
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Insulting a giant may seem foolhardy, but Haye has never lacked self-confidence. His entrance to the ring, when trepidation could be expected, was made with a calm relish. He was ready to enjoy his evening.
The first impression was of physical difference. Haye, tiny next to the Russian giant, took to the perimeter of the large ring from the first, circling with care as Valuev took the centre of the canvas, plodding forwards. No punch of significance was landed in the opening session. One sharp body shot from Haye seemed to bounce off Valuev harmlessly.
Haye's tactics were clear: he would stay out of range for the most part, and launch occasional attacks. His first good punch, towards the end of the second round, caught Valuev to the side of the head. It was a good shot but Valuev merely shook his head. It hurt Haye more than Valuev for he believed the hand was broken and used it sparingly thereafter.
Another sudden attack by Haye, as he jumped into range and threw a left-right combination, brought further trouble for Valuev. Haye was boxing smartly and Valuev was showing signs of frustration, and an inability to change the pattern. But the Russian, moving slowly and trying to back Haye into the corners, was expending little energy. Haye continued to stay out of range, trying to rush in to sting the giant. Valuev showed intent, stalking Haye but throwing few punches, and most of those were air shots.
With half the scheduled 12 rounds gone, the contest was locked in stalemate. Valuev kept his boxing orthodox and basic, plodding and jabbing with the occasional right cross. Haye opened up with a more sustained attack in the seventh round but was thwarted by counters. Valuev was proving more competent and a little less ponderous than expected.
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As the challenger, it was Haye's job to take the fight to the champion and in the eighth he began to move with more purpose, getting closer to Valuev and throwing a variety of punches. It was the first round that was clearly won by either man. Further success for Haye came in the ninth and he began to strut around the ring with confidence. Valuev showed more purpose and put a halt to Haye's ascendancy. Both men were passing the stamina test but neither seemed able to hurt the other.
Haye needed a big final round, to prove he had come to grab the title and not by stealth. At last he attacked with commitment, unloading upward-arcing punches with both hands, and at last shaking Valuev, who swayed for a moment in his size eighteen-and-half boots. It surely gave Haye the last round and just about merited the title.
In the principal fight on the undercard, John Ruiz of Puerto Rico, who has twice held the WBA heavyweight title, stopped Adnan Serin, a journeyman from Germany, in the seventh round. Ruiz, who was the official challenger to Valuez's title, stood aside to let Haye try for the title. He was well paid for that and guaranteed the first shot against the winner.
Ruiz, 37, boxed competently and was never in trouble. He dominated without taking risks and persuaded Serin's corner to throw in the towel with a series of clubbing right hands. Ruiz, twice beaten by Valuev, is unlikely to pose a serious threat to Haye. Early in the evening, George Groves of Hammersmith, a super-middleweight prospect and Haye's stable -mate, easily outpointed the willing but limited Konstantin Makhankov of Belarus.
BRITISH HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONS
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Bob Fitzsimmons
Mar 1897-Jun 1899 Universal title
Lennox Lewis
Dec 1992-Sept 1994 WBC
Feb 1997-Nov 1999 WBC
Apr 2000-Apr 2001 WBC & IBF
Nov 2001-Feb 2004 WBC & IBF
Frank Bruno
Sept 1995-Mar 1996 WBC
David Haye Nov 2009- WBA
BRITONS WHOSE TITLES WERE NOT GLOBALLY RECOGNISED
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James Oyebola
Oct 1993-May 1994 WBC International
Michael Bennt*
Oct 1993-Mar 1994 WBO
Herbie Hide
Mar 1994-Mar 1995 WBO
Jun 1997-Jun 1999 WBO
Scott Welch
Mar 1996-Nov 1997 WBO Inter-Continental
Henry Akinwande
Jun 1996-Feb 1997 WBO
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Joe Bugner ** Jul 1998-Jun 1999 WBF
Audley Harrison
Mar 2004-Jun 2004 WBF
* Now a US National but was born in London
** At the age of 49, beat James 'Bonecrusher' Smith to win the lightly regarded WBF belt. So lightly regarded is it that even Audley Harrison has held the title