Haye, 27, has a professional career record of 21-1 (20 KOs) and is the current world cruiserweight champion, holding the WBA, WBO and The Ring magazine cruiserweight titles (he vacated the WBC title on 5/12 losing the distinction of being “undisputed.") And now, after dominating the cruiserweight class, Haye is ready to take his chops to the next level—heavyweight title fights.
That transition has begun as Haye officially signed a five-year contract with Golden Boy Promotions as announced this morning by ESPN. He plans to vacate his cruiserweight titles over the next few months as he prepares to step up to the heavyweight division. Hailing from London, England, Haye has said he wants to be the next Evander Hollyfield. "If you look at the heavyweight landscape, it is waiting for someone like David Haye to come along," Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer told ESPN.com. “He's very exciting in the ring. He knocks guys out and he gets dropped. If he can succeed at heavyweight, boxing fans around the world will have a heavyweight who can define the division and the sport."
Haye has taken his dedication to the next level to heart and even met for lunch with world heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko to discuss a title fight for later this year. Klitschko agreed in principle, but wishes for Haye to fight some heavyweight bouts before giving him a title fight.
"I see myself at the top of the pile in the heavyweight division," Haye said. "There's only one guy out there and that's Wladimir Klitschko. That's who I have my eyes set on. He's the premier heavyweight on the planet right now and I am coming for him. It's always been my strategy to go after the best."
With a boxing pedigree like Haye’s, coupled with the promotional power of Golden Boy and the desire of the world to see a return to the glory days of heavyweight boxing, it is looking like that fight will come sooner than later. The only question is, can it revive and help legitimize the sport once again?
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