IF THERE is a niggling doubt of impropriety about David Haye’s confession that he bet on himself to stop Audley Harrison in the third round of their surreal world heavyweight title fight in Manchester, the greater crime was the predictably abject performance of the man who tumbled out of the fight and, for his sake and ours, out of boxing in that very round.
Haye brought no shame on the sport bar sharing a ring with the most frightened pacifist ever to challenge for the world heavyweight title. Some fighters enter the ring subconsciously making arrangements for the least complicated way to get out of it: a do-or-die knockout swing, the kindly nod of a compassionate referee or a chilling blow by an opponent turned merciful executioner.
The suspicion that Harrison had such thoughts the instant he was caught in a maelstrom of his own making are hard to resist. Rarely has fear and apprehension been so vividly painted on a fighter’s face.
In the seven minutes and 53 seconds it lasted, he threw 32 punches and landed one, a jab.
“Credit to David, he caught me with a good shot. I beat the count, but the referee stopped the fight. I have to take it on the chin.”
That he did. His inaction spoke louder than his words.
- Guardian Service
