By Oyinlola Awonuga (The New Diplomat’s Entertainment, Fashion and Sports Desk)
Former heavyweight champion David Haye has revealed he would only consider a return to the ring to fight the winner of the anticipated title fight between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua.
Haye, 39, retired in 2018 after suffering a fifth-round defeat by Tony Bellew in their rematch at The O2 in the capital with a record of 28 wins and four losses.
Yet Haye has revealed he is still training and has recovered from the injuries that blighted the final years of his career.
And with Fury’s defeat of Deontay Wilder and Joshua’s revenge win over Andy Ruiz has mooted a possible return against either of the two heavyweight champions.
David Haye admits a fight with either Tyson Fury or Anthony Joshua could entice him out of retirement.
In his words he said, that’s probably the only one, but not really. It’s a lot to go through.
“I got my body in a good place right now, and I’m in a good place. All my injuries have healed up. There’s been no hardcore training. I’ve been at home with my weights.”
Before the two heavyweights meet, Joshua is due to fight Kubrat Pulev and Fury will likely have to negotiate a rematch against Wilder.
Haye continued: “Normally, when you train for a fight, you’ve got to put your body through it. If you want to knockout big guys and have a chance of winning against giants, you’ve got to sacrifice and put your body through it.
“I’ve enjoyed this time where the intensity has been taken from a ten to a three. Everyone thinks I train super, super hard. Not really.
“I probably train between half an hour to 45-minute every day, but I have a nice routine. I’m not training for an athletic performance.
“I’m training for vanity. When I watch fights now, I think ‘I’d slip this jab, I’d do this and do that.’ That’s the slippery slope when your brain starts going like that.”