Eubank’s fear for Haye day of reckoning
FORMER world champion Chris Eubank fears British heavyweight hopeful David Haye has not had adequate sparring practice for his career-defining showdown with Nikolai Valuev.
The south Londoner meets Valuev in Nuremberg tomorrow night for the 7ft 2in Russian’s WBA title in one of the most eagerly anticipated heavyweight clashes in years.
Ex-cruiserweight champion Haye, who stands 6ft 3ins tall, has prepared for the bout by practising with sparring partners Danny Watts and Julius Long, who are 6ft 7ins and 7ft 1in respectively.
But Eubank, the holder of middleweight and super-middleweight belts during the 1990s, is concerned that Haye, who has fought only once since stepping up a division, may be in for a shock.
“The fact is you must have already done the work,” Eubank said. “And the work is taking a great deal of punishment in the ring. If you haven’t, the outcome is going to be tough for you; it is not going to come out on the right side of good for you.”
Eubank has given advice to Haye ahead of the clash at Nuremberg Arena, and revealed what he had told the 29-year-old.
“I hope I spoke to you in time,” Eubank added. “I hope you knew what you had to do and I hope you’ve really paid that price.”
Haye has been consistently bullish in the run-up to facing a man with just one defeat in 51 fights and yesterday declared his intention to emulate Evander Holyfield.
“No British cruiserweight has ever gone up and won the heavyweight title so I’d be making history,” Haye said. “Evander Holyfield is the only other unified cruiserweight champion in history to go up and do the same thing at cruiserweight.
“I’ve got an opportunity to go out there and equal what he did by becoming the second to do it.”