• Boxing

Haye v Klitschko hit by weigh-in and weather drama

ESPN staff
July 2, 2011

David Haye's trainer Adam Booth has sparked confusion just hours before Saturday's showdown with Wladimir Klitschko, claiming Haye's weigh-in results were wrong.

Haye enters into the biggest fight of his career, and arguably the most important bout involving a Brit in the past decade, when he takes on Klitschko in Germany. The WBA, WBO and IBF titles are all on the line in Hamburg, where heavy rain is adding to the drama.

At Friday's weigh-ins, Haye was said to have tipped the scales at 15st 3lbs, fully two stones and two pounds lighter than Klitschko.

However, Booth has added an air of mystery to the heavyweight clash by claiming his fighter's readings were wrong. According to Booth, Haye actually came in at 14st 12lbs, giving him an even greater weight inferiority against the taller Klitschko.

Also contributing to the drama of Saturday's bout is the Germany weather, where heavy rain prompted fears that the fight may even be called off. The more expensive seats at the Imtech Arena are likely to get a soaking throughout the night, and it was tamely suggested by organisers that the bout be postponed for 24 hours.

That will not happen though, with the fight definitely given the go-ahead for Saturday evening.

Former WBA heavyweight champion Roy Jones Jr. predicts any conditions that affect the boxers' movement in the ring will trouble Haye more.

"Wladimir Klitschko is a much better boxer than most people give him credit for," Jones Jr. told Sky Sports News. "But when you have two guys who have chins that are questionable, it's always a great fight.

"It (the rain) will affect Haye more. He's expected to move around, to box and get in and get out. If the rain becomes slippery, it will be to his disadvantage.

"It's a great thing that they're going to change the canvas right before the main event. Hopefully it won't affect either fighter.

"When Haye hits Wladimir, we'll find out a whole lot. Because we'll see if Wladimir can take his punch, and if it will be something he deals with all night. If Haye doesn't hurt Wladimir, it's going to be a problem. If he hurts him, he'll jump all over him."

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