Fight Predictions: Wladimir Klitschko vs. David Haye (IBF/WBO/WBA/Ring Magazine heavyweight unification)

Compiled by Mike Plunkett

Without a doubt David Haye’s challenge of Wladimir Klitschko for the World heavyweight title is the second biggest match-up that can be made in the sport of boxing at this moment. In Haye you have an explosive, enigmatic and highly verbose knockout artist playing ‘David’ to Klitschko, the highly skilled update on ‘Goliath’. The match-up has been brewing for over three years and it has come at a point when heavyweight boxing direly needs an infusion of excitement. Forget the fact that technically speaking this is an IBF/WBO/WBA unification match. The spirit of this bout goes all of the way back to the days of Jack Johnson, it has the potential to produce drama and it is filled with questions and spin that may very well be decided by the intangibles. RSR’s elite team of writers, interviewers and pugilistic prognosticators, along with a former heavyweight champion and a few notable, highly decorated current prizefighters provide you with their expert opinions on the outcome.

Gina L. Caliboso

Let’s just see who will do what he says. For the first time, I’m actually looking forward to a heavyweight bout and this fight will not fail to disappoint. I predict that Haye will win by 10th round KO. Klitschko will definitely use his jab and keep Haye on the outside, but given that Haye wants to knock out Klitschko, I think he will, but he can’t just look for that. I predict Haye by 10th round KO.

Donald Stewart

I have always backed Haye for this and I won’t change now. In fact I am becoming even more sure the closer we get. Wladimir is struggling to cope with the tactics before he gets in the ring and I think that Haye’s tactics will continue to prove the winning formula. Haye will be mobile, quick and feint his way past the jab. Expect a different fight to the Valuev fight. Haye won’t want to stay out for the whole fight but will try and get a finish. I reckon Haye by KO in the first 6 rounds. IF that doesn’t happen then it may go the distance with a win on points in Germany for visitors as rare as a Pacquaio/Mayweather weigh in. The other theory is that it won’t last the first round. Haye will come out like a dervish and one or other will drop the other – game over. They both have the fists to do it…

“Bad” Brad Berkwitt

I will be glued to the TV on July 2nd at 4:45 PM EST… This fight has all the makings of a barn burner and though I think Wlad is going to win, I am going to pick David Haye by 6th round stoppage. If Haye does win, my next hope is Tomasz Adamek beating Vitali. Both Klitschko’s are great fighters, but I can no longer take the zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz’s most of their fights cause the viewer… Go HAYE!

Geno McGahee

This is the most exciting fights in years. If Haye blitzes, anything can happen, BUT I’m leaning towards Wlad to survive a few shaky moments to get his range and stop Haye in 7 rounds.

“Fast” Eddie Chambers (currently ranked #6 at heavyweight by Ring Magazine)

Haye is talented and athletic but he makes a lot of mistakes and I think is a little too arrogant and I think that’s gonna come back to haunt him in the end. My Final prediction for Klitschko vs Haye is… Wlad will stop him in mid rounds. I just hope it be exciting…
Chris Byrd (former IBF/WBO heavyweight champion)

It’s a hard fight to pick. David Haye, I take nothing away from him. He’s a skillful guy, he can punch, he has a puncher’s chance, but when it comes to heavyweight boxing, when you see the size, height, reach advantage, and the skill level of the now confident Wladimir Klitschko, he’s a hard guy to beat. With Wladimir, he’s learned how to be patient, he has a great jab, he keeps the range and he’s as strong as an ox. If he stays with that over the course of the fight and he lets the fight play out, it’s really an easy win. Now for this fight he’s very motivated and it plays well for him but it could also be a downfall for him too, especially if he starts trading for a knockout and gets caught. All of his knockout losses, especially the losses to Lamon Brewster and Corrie Sanders, he was going for it, he was pursuing. Lately he’s been criticized for his patient style of fighting, but its smart boxing; patiently boxing, systematically breaking his foe down wins the fight. It’s simple. That’s just smart boxing. So I’m going with Wladimir Klitschko.

Shelley and Sarah Berman

Wladimir Klitschko beats David Haye by a knock-out.

“Seek and Destroy” Seka

“Wladimir Klitscko because his name just says I VILL KICK YOUR A@@! He will KO Haye in the 4th round.”

Diamond Jackson

Wladimir Klitschko by knockout.

Chevelle Hallback (former WIBA super featherweight & IFBA lightweight champ)

David Haye has to get inside and slip the punches of Wlad. Haye is fast enough to do it, and hits hard enough to knock him out. He needs to avoid Wlad’s shots, then land punches after he makes him miss. Haye by KO!

Grady Brewer (current NABF light middleweight champion)

Klitschko has too much power and size for David Haye, and size. Haye may have the speed, but he gets cocky and caught with a shot- Klitschko wins by KO.

Michael Plunkett

There’s a lot to consider going into this match. You have David Haye’s ongoing antics; his claim that Emanuel Steward has approached him about working together after this fight, sparring southpaw during a public exhibition earlier this week, the ongoing claim that he has a ‘secret strategy’ that Wladimir can’t possibly be prepared for and of course his constant mile-a-minute badgering, both face to face and in the media, all designed to rattle the current World heavyweight champion. To some degree this has had an effect, underlined by the fact that Klitschko has promised to extend the match for the sake of punishing Haye. The big question for me is will Klitschko step out of character and abandon his recent effective form or will he use his attributes, time proven as they are, to secure the win?

In a recent article, Geno McGahee correctly pointed out that Klitschko approaches boxing as a sportsman whereas Haye approaches it as a fighter. In order for Haye to win he has to at some point force Wlad out of his game, the key to doing that is pressure, as Klitschko is used to fighting at his own range and pace, historically not doing well in a situation of extreme duress. Haye has the advantage of speed and explosive power, Wlad of size, strength and superior boxing technique. Both have fragile chins. Haye will gamble if cornered, Klitschko won’t. To me it all boils down to what, if any effect, Haye’s pre-fight antics has had on Klitschko leading up to this encounter. If Wlad stays in character and approaches the matter with his usual discipline, he stops Haye in the middle rounds. If he is rattled or looks to be a hero, Haye shocks the world, perhaps quite suddenly, if the opportunity presents itself. I’m going with Wladimir Klitschko via 5th round knockout.