UNBEATEN heavyweight prospect Nick ‘Wild’ Webb (5-0) shares his first impressions with Boxing News Online upon hearing the announcement of David Haye’s next opponent on May 21 at The O2 Arena in London.
The man to provide The Hayemaker with his second bout since his return from retirement to the heavyweight scene is Arnold ‘The Cobra’ Gjergjaj (29-0).
Webb, 28-years-old from Chertsey, fights on the same show in May, titled Haye Day II, in what will be his sixth pro bout and first six-rounder.
The Surrey boxing star, managed by Scott Welch, expressed his views on The Hayemaker’s next opponent:
Most have never heard of him before which is understandable but I recognised his name straightaway as my last opponent went the distance with him. Gjergjaj went eight rounds with Zoltan Csala (9-6) with one judge scoring two rounds to the former Hungarian national champion. It took me just 79 seconds to blast Csala out of there last weekend at The SSE Arena, Wembley on the undercard of the marred Blackwell v Eubank Jr. British title fight on Channel 5.
He is the best of only three active heavyweights in Switzerland, a country not well known for producing heavyweight world champions.
Originally from Kosovo, his family moved from Gjakova to Pratteln, Switzerland when he was just 14-years-old in July 1999 and soon became a triple amateur Swiss champion.
Coached by Angelo Gallina in the Basel boxing club, he turned pro in 2009, aged 25. His boxing idol growing up was Lennox Lewis and he has trained with the Klitschko brothers in the past.
The 31-year-old unbeaten heavyweight from Switzerland has only fought outside of his country of residence once in November 2011, defeating Hungarian Lazslo Toth in his own backyard via third round KO.
The Kosovo-born prospect has scalped five unbeaten fighters in his six-and-a-half-year long career and is the current EBU-EE (European External European Union) heavyweight champion.
Ironically, ‘The Cobra’ actually has a phobia of snakes but he chose the alias due to his nature of striking hard and fast and has a respectable 21 knockouts from 29 competitions.
However, there’s just one notable name on his record – Dennis Bakhtov, and the Swiss number 1 had to climb off the canvas to earn the points decision which doesn’t read well considering Anthony Joshua took just four minutes to dispose of the Kazakh in his ninth professional contest and first scheduled 10-rounder back in 2014.
The only thing going for him in this fight is his stature, standing at 6ft 5” he possesses a size and reach advantage over the Londoner when they meet in May.
I believe that’s part of the reason that Haye handpicked him as his next opponent, to get used to punching up again like he had to do against Wladimir Klitschko in 2011.
Kudos to the Albanian for his decent record and he’s clearly very popular in Switzerland but he will be no problem for The Hayemaker on the night.
I predict a second round stoppage win to David Haye in a very one-sided contest.
For tickets to the show contact Team Webb on 07792 371 631
To follow Nick Webb on Twitter click here @itsanickting
