Share

Beefed-up Haye hopes for end to injury woes

London - Former world heavyweight champion David Haye revealed on Wednesday that he has bulked up in the hope that his comeback will not be bedevilled by fresh injuries.

Haye, 35, fights Australia's Mark de Mori, 33, in London on Saturday, three and a half years on from a fifth-round stoppage of British countryman Dereck Chisora on his last appearance in July 2012.

Hand, eye and shoulder problems nixed subsequent fights with Tyson Fury and Manuel Charr, but having announced his comeback in November, Haye is hopeful that his new approach will pay off.

"I don't really weigh myself. I'm just packing in the food as much as I can," the former cruiserweight world champion told his pre-fight press conference.

"I used to, in years gone by, diet down a lot. In my old training camps I used to get as light as I could possibly get.

"The general consensus back then was, the lighter I am, the closer I am to cruiserweight, the faster I will be, and that's all well and good, but when you're cutting weight down so low, and sparring big guys, I get injured.

"A good reason not to do that is injury prevention, so instead of dieting down I've been packing the food in."

He added: "The fact that I've got to this fight without injuries -- it sounds crazy, but for me that's the real, real big plus, a big bonus."

London-born Haye defeated giant Russian Nikolai Valuev to become WBA heavyweight champion in November 2009, but lost his crown to Valuev's countryman Wladimir Klitschko in July 2011.

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Should Siya Kolisi keep the captaincy as the Springboks build towards their World Cup title defence in 2027?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes! Siya will only be 36 at the next World Cup. He can make it!
25% - 1273 votes
No! I think the smart thing to do is start again with a younger skipper ...
29% - 1473 votes
I'd keep Siya captain for now, but look to have someone else for 2027.
45% - 2252 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE