• Boxing news

Haye 'buzzing' after stablemate Groves' triumph

David Haye was ringside to see stablemate George Groves beat James DeGale at the O2 Arena © Getty Images

Enlarge

Related Links

• News: I will fight DeGale again - Groves
  
• News: Groves not tempted as Warren calls for DeGale rematch
  
• News: Groves stuns DeGale to win epic domestic contest
  
• Profile: George Groves | David Haye | Wladimir Klitschko

David Haye is hoping stablemate George Groves' enthralling victory over London rival James DeGale will boost his own preparations ahead of his heavyweight showdown with Wladimir Klitschko in the summer.

Haye was in Groves' corner as The Saint survived an attritional 12-round war with former DeGale to pinch a majority decision at the O2 Arena on Saturday.

After seeing his gym-mate inflict a first professional defeat on the Olympic gold medallist, Haye says Team Hayemaker will be "buzzing" as he gears up to face WBO and IBF king Klitschko in Hamburg on July 2.

"Off the back of George's win, everybody in the camp will be buzzing," he told the Evening Standard. "I'm big on being a positive person and if George hadn't won for whatever reason, a cut or whatever it had been, that would have hurt the morale of Team Hayemaker.

"We run a very small, intimate gym, me and George are the two main fighters in it. Having 50 per cent of the gym coming off a career best win puts everybody on a high, it will make for a great atmosphere for my fight."

Haye, the WBA heavyweight champion, is excited by Groves' burgeoning career - victory over DeGale took his unbeaten record to 13 fights - and is confident the 23-year-old has what it takes to go all the way in the sport.

"George is growing as a man and as a boxer," he said. "And against James he proved to me he definitely has what it takes to get to the top. He's got all the physical attributes. And he showed against James that he has that mental edge."

DeGale and his promoter Frank Warren have both called for a rematch but Haye feels Groves, the British and Commonwealth super-middleweight champion, would only be leaving himself open for more "head butts and elbows".

"I wouldn't want to see it," he said. "With the amount of head butts and elbows that went in from James, all he is going to do is open George's face up again. George would win again, probably on points, maybe a bit easier, but he'd still end up with a load of facial damage, and who wants facial damage?"

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.