David Haye has announced he will return to the boxing ring more than three years after retiring from the sport.
For years David Haye was one of the most efficient cruiserweights in the game, and eventually, he made the switch up to heavyweight where he beat Nikolai Valuev to claim the WBA heavyweight title. After losing the belt to Wladimir Klitschko 18 months later, Haye’s career went stagnant with an extended break that ended in consecutive defeats to Tony Bellew.
The former champ is back
Now, as part of the proposed Oscar De La Hoya vs Vitor Belfort card, Haye will make a one-off comeback in order to take on businessman-turned-boxer Joe Fournier.
When confirming the bout on social media, “The Hayemaker” had the following to say.
“This is not a comeback, this is about teaching @joefournier there are levels to the boxing game. One must stay in their lane or risk getting flattened. On September 11th at @thestaplescenter Joe ‘The Billionaire’ Fournier will be taught that certain things in life you can’t buy. Champions are born not bought.”
Haye may not have been part of the Fury/Wilder/Joshua golden generation of heavyweights that we appear to be living through, but the 40-year-old certainly knew his way around the squared circle back in the day.
To some he’s one of the most overrated British stars in recent memory whereas for others, he never got the kind of credit that he really deserved.
Either way he’ll have a chance to shut the unbeaten Fournier up when they meet in Los Angeles next month on a card that’ll also feature Anderson Silva vs Tito Ortiz.
Featured image credit: Getty