DAVID HAYE

updated July 06, 2009

One of the most charismatic athletes to hit boxing since Mike Tyson, London's David Haye not only packs the punch of the former heavyweight champion, but also the willingness to take on all comers and the ability to capture the imagination of fight fans around the world—traits that have led him to 20 knockouts in his 21 victories and the undisputed cruiserweight world championship. All in less than six years as a pro.

"I fight good guys and believe it or not, in boxing for a few years, people have tried to duck each other, especially when they break on the scene," Haye told a reporter earlier this year. "They have one big fight, then three or four chumps, and then another big fight to keep the fans happy. I say forget them chumps, let me just have all big fights. I've always said I'll be out of boxing by the age of 31, so I've got around three years to really cram in all these fights. I've got a lot of fights and a lot of action to dish out, a lot of big fights and entertaining nights to give to the fans and I don't have a lot of time to be fighting chumps and little gimmes."

And despite beating fighters like Arthur Williams, Carl Thompson, Garry Delaney, Glen Kelly, Alexander Gurov, Lasse Johansen, Giacobbe Fragomeni, and Tomasz Bonin, and after winning the WBC, WBA, and WBO cruiserweight titles with stirring knockouts of Jean-Marc Mormeck (TKO7) and Enzo Maccarinelli (TKO2), Haye has even bigger goals in mind, relinquishing his titles earlier this year in order to move up and take on the best the heavyweight division has to offer.

Already, Haye (whose heavyweight debut in April of 2007 resulted in a one minute and 45 second stoppage of top 15 contender Bonin) has set his sights on champion Wladimir Klitschko, and with the heavyweight division in dire need of a superstar on a level with the greats of the past, "The Hayemaker" is eager to take up that mantle and give the fans and media what they've been asking for.

"I'm a boxing fan first and whenever I'm looking for an opponent, I think who can I fight that the fans want me to fight; who would I want me to fight?" said Haye. "And it's always guys who are strong and big punchers. If I was a David Haye fan, I wouldn't want to see me fighting bums who I know I can knock out. I want to be in there with guys you have to worry about. I know I'm the best fighter in the world, so I don't have to duck or dodge anybody."