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Next month, David Haye is set to follow in the footsteps of Mike Tyson and return to the boxing ring.
Haye last competed in 2018, when he was defeated by Tony Bellew, and is set to face entrepreneur-turned-boxer Joe Fournier, who is reportedly a close friend of Haye.
While boxers returning to the ring has been a major trend as of late, Tyson's comeback fight against Roy Jones Jr last year was arguably the most successful clash, with Iron Mike's performance in particular, better than anyone could have imagined.
As such, here are three crucial things Haye should learn from Tyson ahead of his bout against Fournier.
Take the fight seriously
When Tyson’s comeback clash with Jones Jr was announced, boxing fans were concerned, to say the least.
Iron Mike had already returned from retirement before, and while he was able to recapture a heavyweight world title in 1996, he was also brutally knocked out a couple of times by Lennox Lewis and Danny Williams.
However, ahead of his bout against Jones Jr, Tyson appeared to be taking his training seriously and when he returned to the ring in November 28, he exceeded expectations and looked the far superior fighter.
If Haye is to succeed on September 11, he cannot afford to treat the bout as a side-project and must be fully focussed on the task at hand.
Fournier is certainly not the most dangerous fighter Haye has ever faced. However, with a 9-0 professional record, he still has the ability to seriously hurt the Hayemaker who, at 40 years old, has dealt with a number of serious injuries and has a fair few miles in the tank.
Haye must take the fight as seriously as he would any other, or he risks getting brutally knocked out in the ring and savagely mocked on social media.
Do you think David Haye will win his comeback fight against Joe Fournier? Let us know in the comments section below.
Box, don’t fight
At 40 years old, Haye is far from the fighter he once was.
While he was formerly one of the most explosive and powerful fighters in the cruiserweight division, Haye’s athleticism has undoubtedly dwindled in recent years following a series of back and ankle injuries.
As such, in his comeback fight, Haye should be careful to not rely on his power and speed, and while he will be the bigger man on fight night, Haye should make good use of his underrated boxing skills.
While he might not score the highlight-reel first-round knockout he is perhaps looking for, he will almost certainly win the fight and may well still stop Fournier in the later rounds.
Don’t fight just for the money
Mike Tyson and Floyd Mayweather have both competed in comeback fights recently, and while Tyson claimed he was returning for the love of the sport, Mayweather explained his decision was purely a financial one.
Tyson’s return to the ring was a resounding success, as Iron Mike performed brilliantly and put on an entertaining show for spectators.
In stark contrast, Mayweather failed to stop YouTuber Logan Paul and produced an underwhelming contest.
If Haye is returning for the love of competition, he will undoubtedly take the bout seriously and produce a fun, enjoyable contest.
However, if his decision to return to the ring was simply for cash, then the bout will likely be a dull one and he may well get seriously hurt.
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David Haye is set to return to the boxing ring on September 11 against entrepreneur-turned-boxer Joe Fournier.
Haye’s return fight comes over 3 years since he retired from boxing following his loss to Tony Bellew in 2018, and the bout is set to take place on the undercard of Oscar De La Hoya’s clash with MMA veteran Vitor Belfort.
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- Mike Tyson
- David Haye
- Boxing
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