Student Fight Night :: Wessex Scene Online

Student Fight Night

14th December 2009
Ellie Cundy

Rate this story

More by Ellie Cundy

Nov 09 - London 2012:

Fight Night 2009

David Haye Inspires first ‘Student Fight Night,’ at The Cube.

Likened to the biblical tale of ‘David and Goliath,’ this year’s WBA Heavyweight title fight between David Haye and Nikolai Valuev was subject to an epic media storm. At 7ft 2in, defending champion NIkolai Valuev is nine inches taller than Haye and eight stone heavier. Despite Valuev’s giant proportions, Haye went ahead and met him in a fight for the title on November 7th, with the fight lasting a full 12 rounds.

Comprehensively out-boxing and out-thinking Valuev throughout, Haye went on to win the match with a majority verdict of 114-114, 116-112, 116-112, despite finsihing the fight with a broken hand. Haye even came close to knocking Valuev down in the 11th round, where he delivered a swinging left hook, leaving his opponent stumbling and struggling to maintain his stature.

After his victory, Haye revealed that it was at the end of the 11th round that he realised he was only three minutes away from fulfilling a childhood dream, claiming that “it was easy tactically, but draining mentally. If I’d had a couple more rounds I’d have knocked him out.”

Haye has become the first British fighter to hold the heavyweight title since Lennox Lewis, who retired as champion in 2004. He joins four other Britons, including Frank Bruno, who have held the world heavyweight crown. His next fight is against John Ruiz and is due to take place in 2010. Unsurprisingly, Haye is already the favourite to win.

The Southampton University Amateur Boxing Club are holding their own ‘Fight Night’ on Thursday 3rd of December at The Cube. There are eight fully refereed fights scheduled for the evening, in a professional ring, with ring girls included! Tickets are Ł5 and are available from the Box Office. Please visit the ‘Fight Night at the CUBE’ facebook page for full details.