Haye beats Valuev for WBA heavyweight title

NUREMBERG, Germany (AP)—David Haye certainly backed up his brash prediction.

Haye used his superior quickness to surprise Nikolai Valuev, winning a majority decision on Saturday night and winning the WBA heavyweight title.

The British challenger came close to knocking down Valuev for the first time in his 16-year pro career during the final round, but had to settle for the decision. The scores were 116-112 on two of the judges’ cards, and a 114-114 draw on the other.

“The key was my speed,” Haye said. “People don’t realize I am very fast. And I have a powerful punch. I’m athletic, and if I wasn’t a boxer I would be playing football or rugby.”

The former cruiserweight titleholder won his third fight at heavyweight, despite giving up nearly a foot and 100 pounds to the tallest and heaviest champion in history.

“Everybody thought I was crazy,” Haye said, “but I knew I could make him miss.”

Haye had spent months taunting fellow heavyweight champions Wladimir and Vitali Klitschko, and even embarked on a press tour to promote a fight against Wladimir Klitschko before it was called off. Now, he’ll probably escape facing the two men considered the best in the division because his first defense of the WBA title is supposed to be against John Ruiz.

The former titleholder earned the shot by stopping Adnan Serin in the seventh round earlier in the night—and already Haye is offering another prediction.

“He’s a good fighter who is very underrated,” Haye said of the American. “He is not the most spectacular, but I don’t feel like I will struggle with him. He’s about the same size as me and I think I will knock him out.”

Valuev dropped to 50-2, and admitted that Haye was too quick for him.

“Tonight only one thing happened that I didn’t expect,” Valuev said. “It was like a marathon for me. It was like a track event. I wasn’t ready to run that much.

“The judges made their scoring and I think the last round made the difference, especially the end of it.”

Haye tried to keep Valuev on the move, opening with a left to the Russian’s chin followed by a powerful combo. Valuev struggled to catch Haye, finding him only with left jabs.

Haye said he injured his right hand hitting Valuev in the head, likely in the second round.

“It was like punching a brick wall,” Haye said.

Nicknamed “The Hayemaker,” the Brit connected with big rights and lefts to Valuev’s head to build up his points lead. Valuev finally came alive beginning in the fourth round, but in the sixth Haye landed a right-left combo and two solid lefts.

Haye continued to make Valuev work while finding holes, including a strong right followed by a left to Valuev’s face in the ninth. After another big right in the 10th, Haye wrapped up the fight by landing two left hooks that left Valuev wobbly in the 12th.