DAVID HAYE said he briefly sympathised with Tyson Fury when Dereck Chisora pulled out this week, then he remembered the criticism he received from the giant heavyweight in the past and no longer did.
“Not really,” said Haye, who twice withdrew from fights against Fury with injuries. “He’s given me so much stick. I felt bad for him in that the fight was postponed but since then I’ve heard his comments about me and my gut instinct is he doesn’t deserve to be a millionaire.
“What I found quite amusing was the fact that he thinks he is this big time superstar and the only reason anyone knows him is he was linked to fighting me a couple of times. He thought he made it and he could make millions from ticket sales, maybe Chisora thought the same after we sold 35,000 in Upton Park, but with them together, and even with an undercard of ticket-sellers, they hadn’t sold that many. That’s what amazed me. Neither of them have very big fanbases.”
Haye contended that Fury should have backed himself to win on the road against Kubrat Pulev in order to become Wladimir Klitschko’s mandatory challenger months ago, the same way Haye went abroad to face Jean Marc-Mormeck, so he could call the shots.
“If he went there and knocked Pulev out and backed himself he would be fighting Klitschko now,” Haye added. “If he won that, he’s world No. 1, he can dictate terms. If he beats Klitschko and comes to me and say you will only get 10 per cent I would have to listen. I’m gutted the fight with him didn’t happen with me because a lot of fans were disappointed but in time, the only comfort I’ve taken from it, is the fact he didn’t put five million in his pocket. I would have knocked him out and he’d had five million in his pocket. He said he doesn’t fight for the glory or titles, that it’s just about the money. That was it.”
Fury now fights Alexander Ustinov on the Manchester bill but Haye reckons Ustinov, who Chisora broke his hand sparring in preparation, could have a sparring partners mentality.
“If the guy’s getting stopped by Pulev [rsf 11 in 2012] who’s not a puncher he’s taken the fight at short notice but he’s got no chance of winning it.”
