David Haye vs. Tony Bellew
{{short description|Boxing competition}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2024}}
{{Use British English|date=February 2024}}
{{Infobox boxing match
| Fight Name = Grudge Match
| image = File:David Haye vs. Tony Bellew.jpg
| caption =
| fight date = 4 March 2017
| location = The O2 Arena, Greenwich, London, UK
| titles =
| fighter1 = {{flagicon|GBR}} David Haye
| nickname1 = "The Hayemaker"
| hometown1 = Bermondsey, London
| purse1 = £4,200,000
| record1 = 28–2 (26 KO)
| age1 = {{age in years and months|13 October 1980|4 March 2017}}
| height1 = 6 ft 3 in
| weight1 = 224+1/2 lb
| style1 = Orthodox
| recognition1 = WBO
No. 1 Ranked Heavyweight
IBF
No. 4 Ranked Heavyweight
WBA
No. 6 Ranked Heavyweight
The Ring
No. 8 Ranked Heavyweight
| fighter2 = {{flagicon|GBR}} Tony Bellew
| nickname2 = "Bomber"
| hometown2 = Toxteth, Liverpool
| purse2 = £2,800,000
| record2 = 28–2–1 (18 KO)
| age2 = {{age in years and months|30 November 1982|4 March 2017}}
| height2 = 6 ft 3 in
| weight2 = 213+1/2 lb
| style2 = Orthodox
| recognition2 = WBC
Cruiserweight Champion
The Ring
No. 3 Ranked Cruiserweight
TBRB
No. 5 Ranked Cruiserweight
| result = Bellew defeated Haye via 11th round TKO
}}
David Haye vs. Tony Bellew, billed as Grudge Match,[http://www.kofightposters.com/boxing_memorabilia/display_item.php?id=1753#.XmoydqhKhPY DAVID HAYE vs. TONY BELLEW (SKY PPV Venue)] was a professional boxing match contested on 4 March 2017.{{cite web |title=Tony Bellew vs. David Haye (1st meeting) |url=https://boxrec.com/wiki/index.php/Tony_Bellew_vs._David_Haye_(1st_meeting) |website=boxrec.com/ |publisher=Boxrec |access-date=20 February 2024}}
Background
Since making his 2016 comeback, David Haye had collected two quick stoppage victories over relatively unknown opponents. Despite being expected to face former WBO champion Shannon Briggs in September{{cite web|last1=Dirs|first1=Ben|title=David Haye knocks out Arnold Gjergjaj to set up Shannon Briggs clash|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/boxing/36351941|website=BBC Sport|access-date=22 May 2016|date=21 May 2016}} this never materialized.{{Cite web|url=http://www.skysports.com/boxing/news/12183/10564462/shannon-briggs-says-soft-david-haye-is-making-excuses-to-avoid-him|title=Shannon Briggs says 'soft' David Haye is making excuses to avoid him|date=4 September 2016|access-date=27 December 2016}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.skysports.com/boxing/news/12183/10518607/watch-shannon-briggs-chases-after-david-haye-in-brooklyn|title=WATCH: Shannon Briggs chases after David Haye in Brooklyn|date=31 July 2016|access-date=27 December 2016}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.skysports.com/boxing/news/12183/10632164/shannon-briggs-claims-david-haye-backed-out-of-a-fight-this-year|title=Shannon Briggs claims David Haye backed out of a fight this year|date=26 October 2016|access-date=27 December 2016}}
In October, following his win over BJ Flores, WBC cruiserweight champion Tony Bellew immediately hit the ringside Haye with a verbal assault referring to him as 'Sideshow Bob'.{{cite web |author1=Nate Williams |title=Tony Bellew v David Haye: Their rivalry in their own words |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/boxing/39110165 |website=bbc.co.uk |publisher=BBC |access-date=20 February 2024 |date=28 February 2017}} This continued in the post-fight interview with Bellew stating Haye has been 'conning the British public' since he announced his comeback. Bellew's promoter, Eddie Hearn, claimed the fight could take place at heavyweight or at cruiserweight for Bellew's WBC title.{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/boxing/37669398|title=Tony Bellew defends WBC world cruiserweight title by stopping BJ Flores|date=2016-10-15|newspaper=BBC Sport|language=en-GB|access-date=2016-10-16}} On 25 November 2016, Hearn announced on Twitter that Haye and Bellew would face each other in a heavyweight bout on 4 March 2017 at The O2 Arena, London. The fight was to be shown on Sky Box Office and would be Bellew's first heavyweight fight.{{Cite web|url=http://www.skysports.com/boxing/news/12183/10671658/haye-bellew-on-box-office|title=David Haye and Tony Bellew will face each other in a huge domestic clash on Sky Sports Box Office}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.worldboxingnews.net/2016/11/25/news/david-haye-v-tony-bellew-set-for-march-4-in-london-at-heavyweight|title=David Haye v Tony Bellew set for March 4 in London at heavyweight|date=25 November 2016|access-date=25 November 2016|archive-date=26 November 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161126003954/http://www.worldboxingnews.net/2016/11/25/news/david-haye-v-tony-bellew-set-for-march-4-in-london-at-heavyweight|url-status=dead}} Haye started as the odds-on favourite.{{cite web |author1=Luke Reddy |title=David Haye v Tony Bellew: Richie Woodhall says Bellew has been underestimated |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/boxing/39160815 |website=bbc.co.uk |publisher=BBC |access-date=20 February 2024 |date=3 March 2017}}
The fight
There was little to separate the two fighters until the sixth round, when Haye injured his achilles tendon, causing him to fall twice.{{cite web |author1=Sky Sports Boxing |title=FULL FIGHT Tony Bellew vs David Haye 4th March 2017 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vv2MFjNNlrg |website=youtube.com |publisher=Youtube |access-date=20 February 2024 |date=1 May 2018}} Bellew then took control of the fight knocking Haye down and out of the ropes late in the eleventh round. Haye managed to make it to his feet, but his trainer Shane McGuigan threw in the towel,{{cite web |author1=Alex Bysouth |title=Bellew beats Haye in 11th round - reaction |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/live/boxing/38322060 |website=bbc.co.uk |publisher=BBC |access-date=20 February 2024 |date=4 March 2017}} giving Bellew a TKO win. Bellew credited Haye for his bravery, while Haye refused to blame his injury and stated that Bellew was "by far the better fighter", though stated that he wanted a rematch.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/boxing/39170236|title=Tony Bellew beats David Haye with 11th-round stoppage|last=Reddy|first=Luke|date=2017-03-05|website=BBC Sport|access-date=2017-03-05}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.boxingscene.com/tony-bellew-drops-stops-david-haye-massive-upset-results--114239|title=Tony Bellew Drops, Stops David Haye in MASSIVE Upset - Boxing News|website=www.boxingscene.com|date=4 March 2017 |language=en-us|access-date=2017-03-06}} At the time of stoppage, Bellew led on all three scorecards 96–93.
Aftermath
Speaking afterwards Bellew praised Haye, saying "In my eyes I've beaten the best cruiserweight this country has ever produced and one of the best heavyweights. I am honoured to fight in the same ring as him. I've looked up to him. He made the same mistake everybody else does. He underestimated me. Watch me on tape and I'm terrible but in the ring I'm harder to hit than you think." Bellew's Promoter Eddie Hearn told BBC Radio 5 Live, "We've got to go after a heavyweight world title for Bellew now. I am so pleased for him. He's secured the future for his family and they can live a wonderful life."
Despite the loss, Haye was widely praised for his performance in fighting on whilst severely injured. As Kevin Mitchell of The Guardian newspaper summed up of the fight:
Haye, staggering around the ring like a Saturday night drunk, went down swinging, his right ankle strapped in the ninth then unstrapped, his aged body sagging under every assault.....Even when thrashed through the ropes at the end, Haye clambered back and was willing to continue.... It will not seem so to him as he contemplates the fading of his days, but this was Haye's finest night."{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2017/mar/05/tony-bellew-david-haye-boxing|title=Tony Bellew contemplates rich future after shock win over David Haye|last=Mitchell|first=Kevin|date=2017-03-05|work=the guardian|access-date=2017-03-05}}
On 14 March, Hearn said that Bellew would fight again in 2017,{{Cite web|url=http://www.skysports.com/boxing/news/12183/10801043/tony-bellew-will-fight-again-this-year-says-eddie-hearn|title=Tony Bellew will fight again this year, says Eddie Hearn|date=14 March 2017|website=Sky Sports|access-date=15 March 2017}} however a day later, he told Sky Sports that Bellew may need surgery on his broken hand which could see him out of action for up to five months.{{Cite web|url=http://www.skysports.com/boxing/news/12183/10802856/tony-bellew-may-need-hand-surgery-after-win-over-david-haye-and-faces-five-month-lay-off|title=Tony Bellew may need hand surgery after win over David Haye and faces five-month lay-off|date=15 March 2017|website=Sky Sports|access-date=15 March 2017}} On 28 March, the WBC changed Bellew's world championship status to "Emeritus" champion.
Undercard
Confirmed bouts:{{cite web|url=https://boxrec.com/en/event/743172|title=BoxRec - event|publisher=Boxrec}}
| class=wikitable
!Winner !! Loser!! Weight division/title belt(s) disputed !! Result |
| {{flagicon|IRE}} Katie Taylor
|{{flagicon|ITA}} Monica Gentili |Featherweight (6 rounds) |5th round TKO. |
| {{flagicon|GBR}} Sam Eggington
|{{flagicon|USA}} Paulie Malignaggi |WBC international welterweight title |8th round KO. |
| {{flagicon|GBR}} Ohara Davies
|{{flagicon|GBR}} Derry Mathews |WBC silver light welterweight title |3rd round TKO. |
| {{flagicon|GBR}} David Allen
|{{flagicon|GBR}} David Howe |Heavyweight (6 rounds) |2nd round KO. |
| {{flagicon|GBR}} Lee Selby
|{{flagicon|ESP}} Andoni Gago |Super featherweight (10 rounds) |9th round TKO. |
| {{flagicon|GBR}} Ted Cheeseman
|{{flagicon|GBR}} Jack Sellars |Light middleweight (8 rounds) |Points decision. |
| {{flagicon|GBR}} Jack Bonnalie
|{{flagicon|GBR}} Craig Glover |Cruiserweight (4 rounds) |Points decision. |
Broadcasting
| class="wikitable" | |
| align=center | Country
! align=center | Broadcaster | |
|---|---|
| {{flag|Australia}} | Main Event |
| {{flag|Hungary}} | Sport 1 |
| {{flag|New Zealand}} | Sky Arena |
| {{flag|United States}} | AWE |
| {{flag|United Kingdom}} | Sky Sports |
References
{{reflist}}
{{s-start}}
{{s-bef | before=vs. Arnold Gjergjaj}}
{{s-ttl | title=David Haye's bouts | years=4 March 2017}}
{{s-aft | rows=2 | after=Rematch}}
{{s-bef | before=vs. BJ Flores}}
{{s-ttl | title=Tony Bellew's bouts |years=4 March 2017}}
{{s-end}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Haye, Bellew}}
Category:2017 in British sport
Category:2017 in sport in London
Category:March 2017 sports events in the United Kingdom
Category:Boxing matches at The O2 Arena