Thursday, June 30, 2011

Haye makes Klitschko trainer wary

By Ben Dirs
BBC Sport in Hamburg Venue: Imtech Arena, Hamburg, GermanyDate: Saturday, 2 JulyStart: From 2200 BSTCoverage: Live text commentary on BBC Sport website; live on Sky Box Office (subscription required)Haye 'in best shape of career'

Wladimir Klitschko's trainer Emanuel Steward has conceded his charge has not met anyone with David Haye's confidence and belief for almost six years.

Briton Haye, the WBA champion, and the Ukrainian IBF and WBO title-holder meet in Saturday's heavyweight fight.

"Haye brings to the ring, speed, power and the mindset of a winner," Steward told BBC Sport in Hamburg.

"He's confident and that's something Wladimir hasn't experienced since his first fight with Sam Peter [in 2005]."

Trainers ready for battle

Steward added: "There's a whole new energy that Haye brings that Wladimir has not had to deal with since then."

Klitschko was knocked down three times by Peter, before going on to outpoint the Nigerian, but the 35-year-old three-time world champion has won nine of his 10 fights since inside the distance.

The two protagonists engaged in media workouts on Wednesday, where the psychological warfare continued.

Klitschko's camp arrived earlier than planned and attempted to block Haye's path to the venue, which led Haye's camp to seek out an alternative entrance.

There followed the bizarre sight of Klitschko's entourage watching ringside as Haye went through a light workout, during which the Englishman, a right-hander, was throwing punches from a southpaw stance.

Earlier, Haye continued his campaign to wind up Klitschko by tweeting a link to a film featuring Adolf Hitler, with mock subtitles added which refer to preparations for their bout.

Haye, 30, has continually sought to goad his rival in the build-up with various tasteless comments and stunts - and Haye claims the gamesmanship has got to Klitschko.

Continue reading the main story

"I'm in a good place but Wladimir looks rather wound up," Haye told BBC Sport.

"He's never cussed me in the past but on Monday [at the head-to-head news conference] he was effing and blinding, which was nice, it showed he was out of his comfort zone.

"Everything I've done has worked perfectly. Even Manny Steward was real riled up and had to take a back seat. Their whole team seems rattled and Wladimir's going to get rattled on Saturday night, I'm sure."

But Steward said he was confident Klitschko, who has 55 wins and 49 knockouts from 58 pro bouts, would keep his cool at the Imtech Arena, where 50,000 are expected on fight night.

"Wladimir being more motivated and emotionally charged for this fight is something I enjoy," said Steward, who also trained Lennox Lewis and Thomas Hearns, among many others.

"He will not get away from his boxing strategy, it just means he will let his muscles go a lot faster than in the past.

"He will come in with confidence and with a strategy learnt from his defeats against [Corrie] Sanders and [Lamon] Brewster. What he's gained in almost 60 fights is knowing how to stay patient and how to follow orders. He will be OK."

Steward added that he doubted Haye has a new strategy for the fight, as has been suggested by Haye's trainer Adam Booth.

"David, regardless of what he might say is going to do, will come out and fight the way he fought [Nikolay] Valuev [from whom Haye won the WBA belt in 2009] and all his other fights against big guys.

"He'll move out of the way and explode at select times and stand at a distance. Wladimir is going to have to force the fight."


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