Haye’s heavyweight hands

Haye v Bonin
By Suzanne Nield

For the main event of the evening, David came in at a low 15 st 7, while the Pole scaled a full stone more. This is exactly the weight Haye was aiming for tonight, as he’ll need to drop down to cruiser to meet Mormeck in September or October.

Interestingly, the crowd was not full of screaming laydeez as many had speculated. There were considerably more at the Contender, percentage-wise. This is because, unless peripheral fans bookmarked their quality boxing websites, they may not have known David was here tonight. The event was not well-advertised and there were many empty seats in the Arena, half of which had been curtained off anyway.

David landed a solid left to the head as Bonin was sizing him up, followed by another quick one-two, the right hand tough. The Pole was working his jab but not enough to keep Haye off him. David planted a quick left hook behind Bonin’s elbow, then a left jab, huge overhand right put the ‘Bull’ on the canvas. He jumped up quickly – too quickly. (What’s wrong with taking a knee these days? Has good sense gone out of fashion?)

Another stiff jab from Haye, and a right to the body, and the Pole seemed to collapse while Haye’s additional shots landed unevenly to the top of the head. There was no count as the ref must have decided it was a stumble. But another one-two combination put Bonin down properly within seconds, counted this time.

David knew it was all over and wasted no time in finishing him off – a barrage of pressure involving a left hook and a couple of uppercuts, then a left hand that nearly took Bonin through the ropes. Referee Ian John-Lewis waved it off at 1 minute 45 seconds of the first.

Was Bonin simply caught out cold before he settled?
Or was he another ‘good on paper’ warm body mined from the endless seam of European journeymen who have clocked up impressive stats to somehow achieve a world ranking by fighting babies and taxi drivers?

Both. But nice one anyway, Dave.

Those holding ringside seats who came to see only the main event, and spent time boozing when they could have been watching the rest of the boxing (I just don’t understand it) paid roughly 96 pence per second.

David’s aim is to meet Jean-Marc Mormeck for the WBC Cruiser title this autumn, possibly before September. Although Haye thinks that squeezing back down to cruiser will put him at 75% strength, he believes this will be enough against Mormeck. Then he’ll vacate the title to campaign at heavyweight until he gets a shot at the Big Green Heavyweight Belt too. He’ll win that, he says, then never defend it but give the game up forever. What, and go back to wearing clothes for a living?

Yeah, right. Like the idea of keeping that belt wouldn’t exert a strange fascination.