David Haye vs Audley Harrison....What was that?

Saturday night, like many of others I decided to watch the waste of time that was David Haye versus Audley Harrison for the WBA World Heavyweight Title. Built up as the "biggest fight in British boxing this year" this was a fight that genuinely looked like an exciting prospect, bringing out the best of both opponents, a fight we would be talking about for years to come. There was even a decent backstory with the once friends who used to train together seemingly falling out as Harrison felt a lack of support as a lack of support from Haye when his career took a downturn of form a few years back. Since then, Harrison had made a comeback, winning the 'Prizefighter' Heavyweight tournament in London and defeating Michael Sprott for the EBU European Heavyweight title promising that he would bring the fight to Haye. Haye on the other hand, nine years younger and already a major talent that could be considered a great if he's able to unite the heavyweight belts, was already talking the talk after winning the WBA title last year and looked ready to justify his status and put on a show.

Sadly, that was not to be when the bell rang at the M.E.N. Arena to start the fight as both fighters seized each other up for what seemed like an eternity, moving around each other, almost as if they were actors pretending to boxers rather than boxers being boxers. Where was the fight? Where was the drive to actually do something? Then it continued into second round where the referee had to step in and actually tell them he wanted to see some action, thank you ref. Despite that the punches were timid and uncommitted, especially Harrison's who I doubt even landed a punch or even if he did, very little damage was made. The justification for this was mostly the idea that Harrison strategy was to Haye through all the rounds where seemingly because he is the more natural heavyweight, he would have an advantage, but that would have only worked if he actually gave him a fight in the first place. So it was to be in the third round, when previously very little had happened, that Haye delivered the blows that force the ref to stop the fight and eventually end the fight. Some seven minutes, huh?

So what have we learned from this experience? 1) Never believe the media hype, 2) Audley Harrison probably should have never fought David Haye and 3) Er, this was crap...