Schaefer: Haye will be huge
David Haye will be "huge", according to his promoter Richard Schaefer
Wednesday, 11, Nov 2009 09:50
By Alistair Potter.
New WBA heavyweight champion David Haye will be the next big name in the headline weight division, according to his promoter.
Richard Schaefer claims London-born Haye, who beat giant Russian Nikolay Valuev on points in Germany last weekend, has the box office potential to break America and attract some big-money paydays over the next few years.
"The signs are there that David will be huge," Schaefer said.
"I've had emails from HBO and the Warner group, who want to stage a big heavyweight fight in Las Vegas.
"I know they will embrace David Haye and these early indications are a very good sign."
Haye's next fight is against American mandatory challenger John Ruiz, which is already being pencilled in for a London venue early next year.
And the boxer himself claims that while the slightly taller Ruiz will fancy his chances of upsetting the champion, the fact that it will be on home soil this time will work in the Briton's favour.
"He'll prefer to fight me than Valuev - he'll feel he's got the measure of me but I'll upset him," Haye explained.
"It's not often he's the bigger fighter in a contest so he'll relish that but I'm very confident.
"I was fighting Valuev in Germany, and I wasn't expecting many British fans but somehow they got hold of loads of tickets.
"It felt like there were more than 5,000 in there and it was a major boost for me.
"If that's what it was like in Nuremburg, Germany, I can't imagine what it'll be like in a big venue in London."
A date for the Ruiz-Haye showdown is unlikely to be announced until around the turn of the year, with both men currently nursing injuries.
Haye broke his right hand after connecting with Valuev's famously iron jaw early in his fight at the weekend, while Ruiz sustained a severe cut to his forehead in a bout on the undercard.