Haye vs Valuev TV viewing figures

[WelshDevilRob]

David Haye's immediate future in the ring is already mapped out with a mandatory defence against American John Ruiz, the World Boxing Association's No 1 challenger, most likely in London, in May 2010.

 

By Gareth A Davies, Boxing Correspondent, in Nuremburg

 

Haye, nursing a bandaged, suspected broken right hand, and surrounded by his team and supporters on Sunday in Nuremberg, indicated he would like to defend the title on home ground: "I'd love to have a homecoming. I'd love to go back, if the John Ruiz fight goes ahead, and have it in the O2 Arena, to show British fans a great night.

 

"He's a good fighter, underrated – and about the same size as me. I would maybe like to fight in Millwall, anywhere where the fans can come down to. The more the merrier."

 

Haye could not stop himself from an early dig at Ruiz, labelling the two-times former WBA heavyweight champion "John 'the cure for insomnia' Ruiz", on account of the American's hit-and-hold style.

 

Ruiz had agreed with the promoters for defending champion Nicolai Valuev and challenger Haye to step aside as the WBA's official challenger. He is believed to have received $200,000 (£120,000) to forego his mandatory challenge against Valuev.

 

Ruiz, with 44 wins, 8 defeats and one draw, was guaranteed a title bout against Valuev or Haye if he defeated Adnan Serin, of Germany, on the undercard. Ruiz outclassed Serin from the opening bell until Serin's corner threw in the towel after 1min 34sec of the seventh round.

 

Haye's masterclass in defensive fighting against Valuev earned him a 114-114, 116-112, 116-112 majority decision on the judges' cards, and gave him a place in history, as no other fighter in a heavyweight title contest has given away as much as 98lbs, which Haye did, and taken the prize. Haye, Britain's fifth world heavyweight champion this century, now has 23 wins from 24 contests.

 

Haye will undergo tests on his right hand this week. "I damaged my hand in the second round or third round, so I couldn't throw too many right hands. I tried to win it extensively with my left hand. My hand's very tender, very sore. I'm pretty sure it's broken but it's a small price to pay for being the heavyweight champion of the world.

 

"His head is solid, the hardest thing I've ever hit. It was like hitting a solid brick wall."

 

The Haye-Valuev fight drew a market share of 40.5 per cent on German free-to-air television ARD, the figure peaking at 8.4 million, and early indications are that the 'David v Goliath' contest captured the imagination of the British public, and may have sold up to 800,000 pay-per-view buys on Sky Box Office. That puts interest in the fight at the same level as Ricky Hatton's biggest fights.

 

Haye, 29, insisted his plan was still "to get out at 31". He added: "I've got brilliant options. You've obviously got the Klitschkos, who say they aren't interested, but of course they are because there is no one else for them to fight.

 

"They want me as much as I want them and after this fight, that will definitely be the case. The plan is to fight the Klitschkos and a couple of title defences. I want to get out quickly. I'll have been boxing for 20 years by the time I get to 31. It happens to be a couple of years away now and I always try and stick to what I've said."

 

Richard Schaefer, CEO of Golden Boy Promotions, which co-promotes Haye, said: "David is the heavyweight we have been waiting for. He has started a new era. He is the No1 not just in ability in the ring but with his charisma out of it." It will fall to Schaefer to negotiate with the Klitschkos for high-profile contests in the United States.

 

Before slaying Goliath, Haye was 28-1 with the bookmakers to defeat Valuev and become BBC Sports Personality of the Year.

 

"My popularity has gone through the roof, to the point where it's quite strange," admitted Haye.

 

"Boxers don't really get that. You've got Ricky Hatton, Joe Calzaghe, then Lennox Lewis, they're probably the highest profile boxers we've had for a long time.

 

"They can walk down the street and have people shaking their hands, but they don't get mobbed like David Beckham. Beckham couldn't walk down Oxford Street. It wouldn't happen. There'd be a roadblock. That's what I actually like about boxing. No matter how well you do, you can still have a normal life."

 

That is likely to change now for Haye. "Winning the title means everything to me. From when I was a little baby I said I'd be the heavyweight champion of the world and my dream is now reality. I fought the biggest heavyweight champion in history and defeated him."

 

Source: The Guardian

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Just to add to the viewing figures.

 

"The clash drew a sensational peak market share of 40,5 percent (8,4 million viewers) on German free-to-air giant ARD."

 

So pretty good figures with it looking like 800,000 PPV buys in the UK.

[gemmell100]

pretty good figures?????? almost the same as hatton vs mayweather!!! haye sold this fight so well

[Faulks]

Yeah great figs for this fight. It was plastered everywhere so even none boxing fans got interested in it.... Everycredit to Haye