Latest news with #Haye
The Irish Sun
a day ago
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
Itauma told ‘anything other than becoming world champion is a failure' with Brit ‘more impressive than Joshua and Fury'
All recommendations within this article are informed by expert editorial opinion. If you click on a link in this story we may earn affiliate revenue. A FUR THING Itauma told 'anything other than becoming world champion is a failure' with Brit 'more impressive than Joshua and Fury' DAVID HAYE is more impressed by the talent of Moses Itauma than he has been with any other heavyweight - including Anthony Joshua or Tyson Fury. Itauma debuted at 18 and was already being dubbed Britain's answer to a prime Mike Tyson - who became the youngest heavyweight world champion ever at 20. 6 Moses Itauma ahead of his fight with Dillian Whyte Credit: Getty 6 Anthony Joshua reigned as unified world champion Credit: PA Advertisement 6 So too did Tyson Fury Credit: AP Slovakian-born and Kent-raised Itauma even wanted to break Iron Mike's record which has stood for nearly 40 years. He fell short but Haye - who reigned at cruiserweight and heavyweight - says it is only a matter of time until he has gold around his waist. The Hayemaker retired in 2018 when AJ and Fury were at their brilliant world championship best. Advertisement But neither British legend has caught his eye as much as 20-year-old KO starlet Itauma. READ MORE IN BOXING Itauma vs Whyte All the details you need as British heavyweights clash in Saudi Haye told SunSport, courtesy of HighBet: "Way more impressed, way more impressed with him than any of the others. "He's the best guy coming through that I've seen. He looks as good as you're gonna get. He looks as good as I've ever seen. "I can't think of another fighter in that few heavyweight fights that has looked as devastating and hasn't shown any chink in the armour. Advertisement "Everything looks on point, he's got the right mindset. You don't hear about him out partying and all that bulls***. 6 MOSES ITAUMA VS DILLIAN WHYTE: ALL THE DETAILS YOU NEED AHEAD OF HUGE HEAVYWEIGHT BOUT WATCH ITAUMA VS WHYTE LIVE ON DAZN CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS Advertisement "He was focused on becoming the youngest ever heavyweight champion and he wants to do some crazy stuff in a sport. "Anything other than becoming world heavyweight champion would be a complete failure. I love that. If he wins I will fight him Chisora | No Glove Lost: Itauma vs Whyte fight preview | Sun Sport "I love the fact that he's not in it to be the British champion, the European champion. I'm sure just winning the world title wouldn't be enough. Itauma - who has 10 KO's in his 12 wins - steps up for his biggest test to date on Saturday in Riyadh against Dillian Whyte. And if he takes out ex-WBC title challenger Whyte in dominant fashion - Haye reckons Itauma could be the only man capable of mounting a real threat to Oleksandr Usyk's throne. Advertisement He said: "You can't even think about Usyk because we don't know if he can beat Dillian. "But, if he smashes Dillian in a couple of rounds, we all got to have that conversation. We all wanna say, is it too soon or is it perfect? "Is he just ready right now? If he gets rid of Dillian in a few rounds, I'd say he's got a shot. He's got a better shot than most. "I'd say the only person who's got a better shot than him would be Derek Chisora because Derek Chisora's already done it once. He's the best guy coming through that I've seen. He looks as good as you're gonna get. He looks as good as I've ever seen. David Haye on Moses Itauma "He's already been in there and pushed the hardest out of any heavyweight. Advertisement "So if he can get rid of Dillian in a few rounds and not have a life and death, then yeah, cool. Who else is there to beat Usyk?" Whyte comes into the bout as a huge underdog and inactive at the top level - with his most meaningful win coming in 2022 against Jermaine Franklin. He was due to rematch Joshua - who he lost to in 2015 - back in August 2023 but Whyte was pulled out amid a doping breach. He returned an "adverse finding" in his pre-fight drug test - which was later put down to a "contaminated" supplement meaning he served no ban. Whyte continued his career with underwhelming wins over Christian Hammer in Ireland and Ebenezer Tetteh in Gibraltar last year. Advertisement So Haye - who used to spar Whyte - hailed the Brixton Body Snatcher for taking on red-hot favourite Itauma after a period in the cold. 'It's bordering disrespectful' He said: "Dillian has been massively overlooked here. I think some of the stuff I've heard, it's bordering disrespectful. "People seem to have a short memory about the Joseph Parker victory. "The Chisora victories in epic fights that everyone had a great night of entertainment and after strength of his last two performances, he didn't look that great. "He looked like his best days are behind him and at the start, I thought he was just gonna go through the motions and just assume he'll be good enough. Advertisement "But seeing the shape he's coming, looking at his body, that looks like a prime Dillian Whyte. "That looks like Dillian Whyte that turned up to fight Chisora because he knew he was in for a battle. "He knew that wasn't going to be nice and he was mentally prepared for a tough, tough battle. "And Moses has all the potential but potentials don't win world titles performances do, proving it against world-class opposition. "So this is his first opportunity to fight a world-class heavyweight who is genuinely coming to win not turning up for a paycheck, he's coming to win. Advertisement "And Moses, he may have felt that energy a little bit in his career, but he would never have felt it like it's gonna feel on Saturday." 6 David Haye was speaking to SunSport as a brand ambassador for Highbet Credit: PA
Scottish Sun
a day ago
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
Itauma told ‘anything other than becoming world champion is a failure' with Brit ‘more impressive than Joshua and Fury'
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) DAVID HAYE is more impressed by the talent of Moses Itauma than he has been with any other heavyweight - including Anthony Joshua or Tyson Fury. Itauma debuted at 18 and was already being dubbed Britain's answer to a prime Mike Tyson - who became the youngest heavyweight world champion ever at 20. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 6 Moses Itauma ahead of his fight with Dillian Whyte Credit: Getty 6 Anthony Joshua reigned as unified world champion Credit: PA 6 So too did Tyson Fury Credit: AP Slovakian-born and Kent-raised Itauma even wanted to break Iron Mike's record which has stood for nearly 40 years. He fell short but Haye - who reigned at cruiserweight and heavyweight - says it is only a matter of time until he has gold around his waist. The Hayemaker retired in 2018 when AJ and Fury were at their brilliant world championship best. But neither British legend has caught his eye as much as 20-year-old KO starlet Itauma. READ MORE IN BOXING Itauma vs Whyte All the details you need as British heavyweights clash in Saudi Haye told SunSport, courtesy of HighBet: "Way more impressed, way more impressed with him than any of the others. "He's the best guy coming through that I've seen. He looks as good as you're gonna get. He looks as good as I've ever seen. "I can't think of another fighter in that few heavyweight fights that has looked as devastating and hasn't shown any chink in the armour. "Everything looks on point, he's got the right mindset. You don't hear about him out partying and all that bulls***. 6 MOSES ITAUMA VS DILLIAN WHYTE: ALL THE DETAILS YOU NEED AHEAD OF HUGE HEAVYWEIGHT BOUT WATCH ITAUMA VS WHYTE LIVE ON DAZN CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS "He was focused on becoming the youngest ever heavyweight champion and he wants to do some crazy stuff in a sport. "Anything other than becoming world heavyweight champion would be a complete failure. I love that. If he wins I will fight him Chisora | No Glove Lost: Itauma vs Whyte fight preview | Sun Sport "I love the fact that he's not in it to be the British champion, the European champion. I'm sure just winning the world title wouldn't be enough. Itauma - who has 10 KO's in his 12 wins - steps up for his biggest test to date on Saturday in Riyadh against Dillian Whyte. And if he takes out ex-WBC title challenger Whyte in dominant fashion - Haye reckons Itauma could be the only man capable of mounting a real threat to Oleksandr Usyk's throne. He said: "You can't even think about Usyk because we don't know if he can beat Dillian. "But, if he smashes Dillian in a couple of rounds, we all got to have that conversation. We all wanna say, is it too soon or is it perfect? "Is he just ready right now? If he gets rid of Dillian in a few rounds, I'd say he's got a shot. He's got a better shot than most. "I'd say the only person who's got a better shot than him would be Derek Chisora because Derek Chisora's already done it once. He's the best guy coming through that I've seen. He looks as good as you're gonna get. He looks as good as I've ever seen. David Haye on Moses Itauma "He's already been in there and pushed the hardest out of any heavyweight. "So if he can get rid of Dillian in a few rounds and not have a life and death, then yeah, cool. Who else is there to beat Usyk?" Whyte comes into the bout as a huge underdog and inactive at the top level - with his most meaningful win coming in 2022 against Jermaine Franklin. He was due to rematch Joshua - who he lost to in 2015 - back in August 2023 but Whyte was pulled out amid a doping breach. He returned an "adverse finding" in his pre-fight drug test - which was later put down to a "contaminated" supplement meaning he served no ban. Whyte continued his career with underwhelming wins over Christian Hammer in Ireland and Ebenezer Tetteh in Gibraltar last year. So Haye - who used to spar Whyte - hailed the Brixton Body Snatcher for taking on red-hot favourite Itauma after a period in the cold. 'It's bordering disrespectful' He said: "Dillian has been massively overlooked here. I think some of the stuff I've heard, it's bordering disrespectful. "People seem to have a short memory about the Joseph Parker victory. "The Chisora victories in epic fights that everyone had a great night of entertainment and after strength of his last two performances, he didn't look that great. "He looked like his best days are behind him and at the start, I thought he was just gonna go through the motions and just assume he'll be good enough. "But seeing the shape he's coming, looking at his body, that looks like a prime Dillian Whyte. "That looks like Dillian Whyte that turned up to fight Chisora because he knew he was in for a battle. "He knew that wasn't going to be nice and he was mentally prepared for a tough, tough battle. "And Moses has all the potential but potentials don't win world titles performances do, proving it against world-class opposition. "So this is his first opportunity to fight a world-class heavyweight who is genuinely coming to win not turning up for a paycheck, he's coming to win. "And Moses, he may have felt that energy a little bit in his career, but he would never have felt it like it's gonna feel on Saturday." 6 David Haye was speaking to SunSport as a brand ambassador for Highbet Credit: PA
Daily Mail
29-07-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mail
British boxing legend's son joins ARSENAL as he takes next step in dream of 'becoming the world's best footballer'
Football has produced its fair share of father-son duos, from the Maldini dynasty to Schmeichels and the Haaland lineage, but what about when boxing enters the ring? That's exactly what has happened now, as the son of a British heavyweight legend has signed with Arsenal. David Haye 's 11-year-old boy Kingston has joined the Gunners' academy from Sutton United, where he was named the U11s player of the year in 2024. The Hayemaker even says that his son, a budding midfielder, aspires to be 'the world's best footballer' and is 'extremely dedicated to the cause'. High hopes and high praise from a father who knows a thing or two about sporting success - and rearing the next generation. Haye, who became the undisputed world cruiserweight champion in 2008 and later lifted WBA heavyweight crown, has also produced a rising tennis star in the form of his other son Cassius. Kingston's arrival at Arsenal was first reported by Mail Sport's Jeorge Bird. But it turns out that father Haye predicted his son's precipitous rise over a year ago when he celebrated the Sutton U11s award, writing on Instagram: 'I am incredibly proud of my son, Kingston. 'At just 10 years old, he has won the Under 11's Sutton Player of the Year award. He is part of an excellent team at Sutton, which has been instrumental in teaching him the essential fundamentals to one day reach his full potential. 'Kingston is extremely dedicated and is pursuing his dream of becoming the world's best footballer. Stay tuned!' Kingston will hope to follow a similar trajectory as his dad in his resepctive sport, but even imitating older brother Cassius would be a good start. Cassius, 17, has a 74 per cent win rate in tennis and is ranked 1,924th on the ITF Junior Tour. Celebrating his elder son's birthday earlier this year, Haye wrote: 'My eldest son had just turned 17... and I honestly can't believe how fast the years have flown. 'From a fearless little boy to a focused young man, he's now living on his own and competing full-time on the Spanish tennis circuit since last August. 'I'm incredibly proud of the way he's chasing his sporting dreams with discipline and maturity beyond his years. He's grown into a beautiful young man — inside and out… and at 6'4, he's now officially taller than me (not that I'm bitter about it). 'Big things ahead. Watch this space.'
The Sun
01-07-2025
- Sport
- The Sun
Putin's 7ft ex-world heavyweight champ who is now a politician and banned from rival countries over ‘offensive' remarks
IT would be easy to look at 7ft Nikolai Valuev and think he was a fearsome man. Easy, and probably correct. 6 6 6 Even if you include the fact the ex-world heavyweight boxing champion briefly went on to become a children's TV presenter! The Russian, 51, is now a lawmaker in Vladimir Putin's regime - and newly BANNED from Azerbaijan for "offensive statements" against the nation. Valuev's most famous fight was a long-awaited "David vs Goliath" WBA title clash with a much smaller Brit. Challenger David Haye was a 'mere' 6ft 3ins tall but bulked up to his heaviest ever weight of 98.6kg for the 2009 bout in Germany. But it still meant the Hayemaker went into the contest a whole 45 kilos lighter than the so-called "Beast from the East". According to a quick Google search, that's about the weight of a baby hippopotamus... or a fully-grown Bloodhound! It was Valuev who entered the ring on the front foot looking for blood - but in the end he struggled to even find Haye. The Londoner was too quick and mobile, mostly beating the giant to the punch to win by a majority decision, 114-114 116-112 16-112. 6 Astonishingly Haye's triumph came despite breaking his hand - as early as the second round. And his explanation of the injury only served to build Valuev's chilling reputation still further. The Hayemaker landed a blow on the head of the Beast. But in doing so he broke a knuckle - and later likened the impact to "hitting a brick wall". Valuev, 36 at the time, considered retiring - but soon had to quit anyway as it was discovered he had a benign brain tumour. Knee problems, surely caused at least in part by his mighty frame, also hastened his departure from the ring. At first, he followed his ring career with a somewhat traditional path - forming the "Nikolai Valuev Boxing School" to help train young boxers. But he soon added an unusual "hat-trick" to his much-changing CV. Valuev was elected as an MP for the Russian parliament in 2011, becoming a member of the lower chamber (State Duma) with the United Russia party. He was also appointed general manager of the national bandy team - a sport similar to ice hockey but with a ball instead of a puck. Then came his most left-field career choice - hosting a kids' TV show in 2016, from which regular appearances followed. Six years later, Valuev announced he'd been called up for combat by Putin in Russia's invasion of Ukraine. But he was taken to hospital with a leg injury - and "failed" the conscription guidelines on health reasons. 6 Now he's back in the political limelight for equally controversial reasons. Valuev alleged that Russia's neighbours Azerbaijan had been using diaspora groups - organisations scattered around outside their country - to engage in crime. The Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry responded quickly - with a knockout blow for any plans the Beast had for crossing the border to visit. A statement read: 'The offensive statements against Azerbaijan and our people made by Nikolai Valuev... and his threatening remarks against our country are absolutely unacceptable. "Due to the statements made by this deputy against Azerbaijan, his name has been added to the list of individuals banned from entering the Republic of Azerbaijan.' He's at least the third Russian lawmaker to receive such a ban from the country. But if the exact number is unknown, one fact about them is surely certain. Valuev is the only one who can boast of being the tallest and heaviest world champion in boxing history. 6
The Sun
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Nepo baby with very famous I'm A Celeb star dad shows off his ripped six pack – but can you guess who he is?
A NEPO baby with a very famous I'm A Celeb star dad has shown off his ripped six pack. The boy's celeb dad posted a birthday tribute to him, and shared a couple of photos too. 6 6 He wrote: 'My eldest son @mrcassiushaye just turned 17… and I honestly can't believe how fast the years have flown. 'From a fearless little boy to a focused young man, he's now living on his own and competing full-time on the Spanish tennis circuit since last August. 'I'm incredibly proud of the way he's chasing his sporting dreams with discipline and maturity beyond his years. He's grown into a beautiful young man — inside and out… and at 6'4, he's now officially taller than me (not that I'm bitter about it😂).Big things ahead. Watch this space.❤️' In one snap, the star posed with his son in a swimming pool in a throwback from when he was younger. And then in the second, he stood topless next to his son, who also ditched his top for the snap and revealed his six pack. It's none other than David Haye's son Cassius. And fans couldn't believe that Cassius was all grown up, as one person penned: 'Holy smokes he grew up quick big love and respect.' A second added: 'Are you serious?!DAMN! Look at the size of this guy now.' A third echoed: 'Wow! Love seeing how he's grown up into such a great young man mate. Happy Birthday Cassius!' 'Beautiful young man' - Proud David Haye reveals son is now competing full-time in very different sport as he turns 17 David is is a British former professional boxer who competed between 2002 and 2018. He is best known for being a world champion in two weight classes: cruiserweight and heavyweight. His nickname is The Hayemaker. Outside of the ring, he was known for his charisma, confidence and ability to sell fights. Since 'throupling' up with model Sian Osbourne in 2020, the 'Hayemaker' has introduced at least four other women into their unconventional relationship - and sadly, broken a few hearts along the way. Those include gorgeous DJ Mica Jova in April 2023 and a Canadian businesswoman called Danielle in August the same year. Last year, actress Helen Flanagan tearfully admitted that she was once 'in love' with him. But despite falling for the lothario she refused to be added to his "bed rota" of women, saying: "I wouldn't have enjoyed watching the man I was in love with having sex with another woman.' She broke down as she admitted how she felt 'really really guilty' about sleeping with the 43-year-old while he was with Sian, 32, who seems to sit comfortably on his threesome list. Meanwhile, The Saturday's singer Una Healy, 43, insisted she'd never heard of the word 'throuple' before meeting Haye, and believed she was 'hoodwinked' into joining the unconventional set-up. Despite leaving heartbreak in his wake, Haye has secured his title as "the biggest player in sport" - with some fans claiming he is "living the dream". Haye did once 'dabble' in monogamy when he wed ex-wife Natasha, now 42, in 2008. They were together eight years, had three children - Cassius, Sienna and Kingston - but reports of an affair ended the marriage, which had already been blighted by infidelity on his part. 6 6 6 6
