British boxer David Haye’s first foray into the heavyweight division could also be his last if he fails to beat American Monte Barrett.
Haye moved up to heavyweight after unifying three cruiserweight world titles in March and said his main target now is Ukrainian world champion Wladimir Klitschko, who holds the IBF and WBO titles.
But first Haye must get past Barrett in a fight he describes as a “massive gamble.”
PHOTO: AP
“I don’t want to waste anyone’s time,” Haye said on Thursday. “If I can’t get through Monte, then what’s the point? I’m definitely not going to beat Wladimir Klitschko so I might as well call it a day.”
“If I can’t take it, I might as well find out now,” he said. “What’s the point in me dragging it out against a load of bums and then getting in there against someone like Klitschko and being found out?”
Haye, 21-1 with 20 knockouts, will meet Barrett on Nov. 15 at London’s 02 Arena. Haye hopes to beat another boxer ranked in the top 10 early next year before meeting Klitschko.
The 37-year-old Barrett has won 34 fights, with six losses, but two of those defeats were to world champions Nikolai Valuev and Hasim Rahman, and another to future world champion Klitschko. But Barrett put up creditable performances against them all. He lost on points to Rahman, was knocked out in the 11th round against Valuev and rose five times from the canvas against Klitschko before the fight was stopped in the seventh round.
Most recently, Barrett produced a first-round knockout of Tye Fields and hopes a victory over Haye could lead to another shot at Klitschko.
“I’m happy that David stepped up to fight,” Barrett said. “He had so many different opportunities to fight so many different guys in the division. I’m the most dangerous fighter out of all the guys ... I’m the most focused. I’m the most hungry.”
For Haye, fighting Barrett — ranked sixth by the WBO — is a means of establishing his credibility in the heavyweight division.
“People know what they’re getting with Barrett,” Haye said. “He’s been fighting world-class heavyweights and hanging with them for years.”
Haye is ranked third by the WBO despite never having fought in the heavyweight division.
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