Haye-Bonin big-fight predictions

David Haye’s heavyweight debut has captured the imagination of everyone and the UKBP team give their assessments on how the ‘Hayemaker’ will cope against Bonin on Friday night. Some forecast an easy night, whilst one individual thinks Haye has bitten off more than he can chew this time. Who do you think is on the money?

Martin Williams

Haye UD12 Bonin….

I feel, in time, Haye will carry his power up to heavyweight with him, but a cautious approach and slick boxing skills will take him to a decisive points victory on this occasion.

Dean Moston

Haye stops Bonin inside 8

I’m bad at the prediction game and it’s a blessing because it keeps me out of the bookies, but I think it’s a shrewd matchup by Maloney/Haye and David is maturing. I don’t buy all the ‘crazy match-up’ press for his one. At the end of the day he’s a 15 stone plus fighter with good power and speed. Bonin’s record is full of unknowns and if Audley did it in 9 – whether you think it was a valid stoppage or not – Haye will do it quicker. There’s more devil in his output and he’s on home turf. This one won’t go the distance and if it does, Haye should concentrate on the cruisers.

Steve Hartley

My prediction is for a Haye victory, coming from an early stoppage (2nd/3rd round).

Whilst Bonin has an impressive record, the one blot comes from a ninth-round stoppage by none other than Audley Harrison, so inevitably comparisons will be made when it comes to an assessment of Haye’s heavyweight potential.

Bonin has an impressive record of 37-1 but recently his career seems to be turning full circle. His last fight was a scrappy affair which saw him down in the first round of a 6-rounder, against a novice opponent boxing in his first bout. Prior to that he went to a decision in another six-round contest, against a fighter with a record of 5-10-0.

By contrast, Haye is definitely on the up, and has set himself a challenge at heavyweight while continuing to trumpet his intention to campaign at cruiser. His last bout against the tough Italian Fragomeni was one he may well have lost if it had come a couple of fights earlier. However, Haye seems to have learned that contests in the higher ranks require a different level of preparation and determination, and he looks as if he now has the ambition, and the management team to keep him focused.

Bonin is taller and heavier than Fragomeni, but is by no means as motivated. He’s knocked people down before, but Haye showed he can take a shot these days against Fragomeni. Haye’s never lacked a punch, but I think his fitness, desire, and the greater weight behind his shots will be too much for Bonin.

Haye’s schedule is fairly transparent – a cruiserweight title followed by a move into the world rankings of the heavyweight division as quickly as possible. He can’t afford to look anything less than impressive in a fight like this.

Oliver Fennell

David Haye is fighting the world’s 11th-ranked heavyweight. Isn’t he brave?

Well, not as brave as you might think when reading the statement above.

Opponent Tomasz Bonin can only be ranked so highly by members of his immediate family and the warped minds of the WBC.

No, Bonin is not a world class heavyweight. I’d make him a significant underdog for the European championship, even.

His glossy 37-1 record has been almost exclusively compiled against nobodies and his most impressive result is a defeat. That might not make sense, but not much in boxing does.

Sure, it could be interesting to see cruiserweight Haye get hit on the chops by a 17st man, but I suspect Bonin won’t get many opportunities to do this.

Aggressive but slow of hand and foot, and with an average KO ratio against a low level of opposition, Bonin looks tailor-made for the Londoner’s sharp-shooting skills.

Haye’s speed can bamboozle the Pole for a stoppage at the halfway stage.

Ben Carey

I agree with the rest of the team in terms of their assessment of Bonin’s credentials, however my gut feeling is that Haye is going to struggle. Perhaps I’m overly cynical, but I still remember Haye looking soft at 14st 3lbs when he fought Carl Thompson and find it hard to believe that he’s been a genuine heavyweight in disguise.

Providing Bonin comes into the fight with ambition it’s going to be interesting to see how Haye copes under pressure against a genuine heavyweight. Cruiserweights Fragomeni and Johansen placed Haye onto the back foot all too easily, and so too did Lolenga Mock in what seems an age ago now, so what are the big boys going to do to him?

Haye proved his heart and stamina against the squat Fragomeni but as a dress rehearsal for the Hayemaker’s assault at the heavyweights it raised more questions than it provided answers. And for all his talent, what was Haye doing allowing the limited, stumpy Italian to dictate the fight and bust him up?

Unless Haye catches the lumbering Pole early I foresee a long and uncomfortable night for him and a subsequent return to the cruiserweight division with his tail firmly between his legs. Haye to scrape home on points, for me.