Friday 8 January 2016 09:28, UK
The heavyweight division is hot right now, so Jamie Moore gives his take on David Haye's return, Deontay Wilder, the vacant IBF world title and Tyson Fury... a fellow Manchester United fan.
Jamie says: It's going to be interesting what he has got left in the tank. He has always kept himself in good shape so his fitness and conditioning won't be a problem but his timing and his speed - which were two of his best assets - will be affected by the lay-off. It would be great if he has done a Sugar Ray Leonard and sparred all the time he has been 'retired' but I can't see him doing that.
If David can make a statement against Mark de Mori, money always talks and it wouldn't surprise me if that happened down the line.
I bet David has been having hard spars though and probably done his camp in a few different stages to get the base fitness sorted but he is no doubt a great and welcome addition to the scene. He's not an old fighter, he's still relatively young as a heavyweight and is always great to watch, he is exciting and charismatic. Tyson Fury is the biggest character out there but I don't think he wants to entertain him at the moment but if David can make a statement against Mark de Mori, money always talks and it wouldn't surprise me if that happened down the line.
Jamie says: I was impressed with him early on and there's no doubt he is really heavy-handed but the difference back then was the standard of the opposition. Then, when he boxed for the world title against Bermane Stiverne I was impressed with his boxing skills, paced it well and upped it a little but until he knew he wasn't going to get him out of there, but I want see what he has when put under pressure.
I don't think Artur Szpilka will do that so this is just a 'marking time' fight for Wilder and he's hoping to get the winner of the rematch between Fury and Wladimir Klitschko and that will probably get made. They don't want to let him get too experienced, so the sooner the better. I don't think Wilder has been swerving him and waiting for the right time to come along.
Jamie says: There seems to be a different rule for the IBF and the fact he was stripped so soon after winning it, suggests they didn't really take to him - to say the least! Don't forget Klitschko had the IBF for years so to see it vacated so soon isn't right. We all know even if you are the mandatory challenger - and I had to wait ages when I was in line to fight for the European title - you have to wait in line.
I'm sure Vyacheslav Glazkov would've understood that and with a bit of compensation and the fact the Klitschko was entitled to an immediate rematch, he'd have been fine. I've got to be honest, I hadn't even heard of Glazkov or Charles Martin until this was announced and it does make a little bit of a mockery [of the title], although at least the IBF only have one level of world champion, unlike the WBA.
One thing is it should make it easier for Anthony Joshua to get a world title shot but let's be honest, most of us boxing fans are sitting there scratching their heads wondering why Fury is not the IBF holder. Let's be honest, Joshua against Fury or Wilder doesn't even need a world title on the line. We all know who the real world heavyweight champion is.
Jamie says: I want to see it happening over here. Look what Fury did going over to Germany. It wasn't a great fight but I enjoyed it because Klitschko's style was always being the bigger, the stronger with an effective jab and Fury nullified all of that. And because of that, I think he should have home advantage. Let Klitschko come out of his comfort zone and prove his mettle.
Klitschko has had it all his own way for the last 10 years and while I moan about some of the decisions being taken by the governing bodies, I'd like to see him have to come over here. I still think Fury wins the rematch wherever it happens but I imagine Tyson would love it at Old Trafford. There hasn't been a fight there since the Chris Eubank v Nigel Benn rematch, 22 years ago. Another big rematch, in the champion's backyard? There is more history to be made.
Jamie says: I know if I was to get the lead role - even as a fighter - up in the 900 channels, my wife wouldn't let me do it, so that's out of the question! Thinking about it, it would have to be on MUTV. I always dreamt of fighting at Old Trafford and I've been on the pitch at half-time as a fighter, but to walk out there in front of 80,000 would be unreal - and you have to go with the host broadcaster. I know they are a subscription channel of course, but I think we'd give it free to air. For everyone. I'd make sure of that!
I wouldn't be watching so I wouldn't care who the commentators, presenters and pundits are - and that would only get me in trouble if I chose them - but I would have Alan Keegan, who reads the teams out at Old Trafford as the MC. And I'd have Sir Alex Ferguson, Eric Cantona, David Beckham and plenty more in the front row!
