On November 7, 2009, David Haye pulled off a miracle to become heavyweight champion of the world.
In a fight suitably billed ‘David vs Goliath’, the Brit stole the crown from 7ft giant Nikolai Valuev, despite being almost a foot shorter and 100lbs lighter.
Haye found a way to outbox and outmanoeuvre the Russian in order to earn a majority decision at the Nuremberg Arena in Germany, a feat which many people considered impossible.
It is undoubtedly the finest night of the Haye’s career and propelled him to national fame, paving the way for modern greats like Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury to become the stars they are today.
But how did he do it?
Eleven years on, the ‘Hayemaker’ joined Fight Night on talkSPORT to look back that famous night – and detailed his master plan.
“I had to do something which was very uncharacteristic of me,” he said. “I had to go out there and hold back.
“His style was based on people being able to hit him. Because he was so strong and so tough, he let you hit him. And while you were hitting him, he hit you back.
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“He could tussle with you because he’s so much bigger and heavier, he can take your punches and you can’t take his.
“I had to be really clean and concise with my attacks. I couldn’t get into any clinches.
“I had to keep moving and hypnotise the judges to make them think I was in control.
“If I landed 100 punches and he landed 90, they would probably give it to the reining champion.
“So I had to steal the rounds in a way which left me as much in the tank as possible and unscathed.
“He was so much heavier, he would’ve just thrown me around and zapped my strength if I got into clinches.”
However, things could’ve been very different for Haye if he lost his seventh professional fight against a Dane called Lolenga Mock.
Haye remembers how his career almost ended before it began when he allowed himself to get caught by an overhand right in 2003 – six years before the Valuev fight.
The 39-year-old said: “He [Mock] wasn’t a noted puncher. I did my research and apparently he wasn’t a big hitter.
“I went in there a little bit over-confident, trying to look a bit special.
“I wasn’t anticipating him to be as good as he was, and he hit me with an overhand right which I didn’t see coming.
“Then boom, it was nearly all over. It was only my seventh pro fight and it was nearly over then.
“I really struggled to get back to my feet, but fortunately I did just about.
“I rugby tackled him to the floor to make a little more time to clear my head, but I was in a very bad way.”
