The Haye Hype?

Time to prove your not just talk?

WBA World Heavyweight Champion David Haye has come to aide of the Heavyweight division in recent years but is he just talk?

He has without doubt reignited boxing fans passion for Heavyweight boxing with some explosive displays and a charisma that the division has been missing.

Since his move up from Cruiserweight in 2008, Haye has become a household name and following his impressive points victory over the man giant Nikolai Valuev in 2009, a champion also.

Now, in one of the most eagerly anticipated mega-fights since Floyd Mayweather’s showdown with Oscar De La Hoya, David Haye and Wladimir Klitschko will fight it out for the WBA, WBO, IBF and IBO belts.

The Londoner has the perfect mix of power and speed but is yet to be tested against a fighter with the calibre of the Klitschko brothers and his continued trash talking could prove to be his downfall.

The unification fight, which takes on July 2^nd in Hamburg’s Imtech Arena, will no doubt be his toughest to date but will he have the fire power to back up his words?  

Well renowned for his mental games outside the ring, Haye appeared to be losing the psychological fight in the media after Wladimir went on the charm offensive.  

The Brit has bombarded the brothers with a string of insults and public disrespect in the past, with the latest coming after sporting a t-shirt depicting the decapitated torsos of the pair with their heads in each of his hands.

Wladimir reacted with distaste to his latest stunt and has threatened to delay knocking out of the Briton until the final round, claiming that ‘Haye hates me because he fears me’.

It is dangerous game for the Briton to play as trash talking ahead of the super-fight could so easily come back to kick him in the teeth.

Even if he wins the fight it will be undermined by his trash talk but if he loses it he will have face serious consequences in the media.

But is Haye just talk?

Since arriving on the Heavyweight scene in 2008 he has pronounced himself the saviour of the division with his ferocious punching power and glamour-boy looks.

It is clear he possesses a speed that is unmatched in the division but the experience and potentially unstoppable right hand of Wladimir could prove too much.

The Hayemaker can threaten all day long but the Ukrainian is the longest reigning champion in Heavyweight history and his ability to hurt opponents, particularly in the later rounds, support the perception that he is the favourite.

However, the trash talk could prove to be a good tactic as he attempts to get the ‘Ice Man’ to fight with a temper that could be the vital chink in his armour.

Wladimir is an intelligent man but if he can get him to take his eye off the ball it could swing the fight in his favour.

It is dangerous game to play and right now it is too close to call, but it is a fight that puts boxing on the map and that is not a bad thing, trash talk or not.