DAVID Haye has been dreaming a lot lately – and that could result in a nightmare for Nikolai Valuev here tonight.
Haye aims to relieve Russian giant Valuev of his WBA world heavyweight crown in what genuinely is a real David and Goliath contest.
Valuev, at a massive 7ft 2in, has an 11-inch height advantage over his British challenger – but that doesn’t worry Haye in the least.
It certainly hasn’t made him lose any sleep. Far from it – he has been repeatedly dreaming about the fight in recent weeks.
He said: “It’s always the same. I see this giant of a figure approaching me. I always knock him out or batter him.
“Every time with Valuev, I dream about him falling in slow motion. The whole ring rumbles when he hits the deck and he can’t get up.
“And then, in my sleep, I’m smiling. I have this huge, huge smile because I’m the new heavyweight champion of the world.”
Defeating the 22st 8lb Valuev in only his third heavyweight contest would be a great feat for the former undisputed world cruiserweight champion.
After all, the 36-year-old Valuev has won 50 of his 51 contests and is certainly not simply the ring freak that brash Londoner Haye has described in recent weeks.
He certainly has talent, as Haye’s fellow Brit James DeGale – an Olympic gold medallist in Beijing – accepts.
DeGale said: “When the fight was first announced, my instincts went with Haye – but when you see the differences in height and weight you realise that Valuev ain’t that bad.
“If David doesn’t knock him out in the first half of the fight, I feel Valuev’s size and strength will tell down the stretch.
“Valuev’s never been remotely hurt, never mind knocked down or stopped. I would probably go with Valuev.”
But, in a sign of the genuine split among boxing folk on this very hard-to-call fight, former world heavyweight title challenger Danny Williams is backing Haye.
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Williams, who famously knocked out Mike Tyson in 2004, said: “I see David Haye outboxing Valuev.
“He’s got great footwork, he’s got that cruiserweight speed and he hits pretty hard as well."
“That makes for a David Haye victory, I think.
“The only thing we’ve got to worry about is David getting hit as he’s never been hit by a 23st man."
“That could be a major problem. But I’m hoping David can outbox him and win on points. It’s going to be very difficult for David, but I think he can do it.”
Not surprisingly, Valuev is supremely confident and is promising to make the Brit pay for the insults he has been directing his way.
Valuev said: “He has a very big mouth."
“In my view, after some of the things he has said, I regard him as just another idiot in this world."
“Haye’s a very fast boxer, but maybe acting a lot."
“It is nothing special for me to fight him, because each opponent is smaller than me."
“The only difference with Haye is a bigger mouth.
“They do not always fight in the same style. It is the same with Haye."
“He will be different to the others."
“I don’t expect something special, just something different. A lot of English expect something special from David, but I can tell them their expectations won’t happen when I shut him up.”
PREDICTION: I have been genuinely torn between the two fighters on this in recent weeks, with each having a good case to get the vote.
Now, having watched them both in action at close quarters, I believe Haye will have to produce the fight of his life to grab that belt off Valuev.
I can’t let my heart rule my head. I would love to be proved wrong, but I’m taking Valuev to win by tiring Haye out and finishing him, maybe as early as the fourth round.
TONIGHT’S big fight will be screened on Sky Box Office from 8pm.
Source: dailystar.co.uk
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