David Haye is indeed a talent, he has fantastic power and great self-belief, but has he the substance to back up the brash talk amongst the big boys?

In his recent visit to Las Vegas for the Hopkins v Calzaghe championship match he caused quite a stir amongst certain sectors of the press with the way he presented his case as the next great heavyweight champion in the presence of Wlad Klitschko of all people… "Who is he?" retorted Wladimir,  "I thought he was a cruiserweight champion. If he fights like he talks he would provide great competition. "I hope he means business…"

Haye, donning his finest Dior shades and sharpest Whistle and Flute suit was not backwards in coming forward in his first visit to the gambling Mecca, but you can look every inch the part and talk the talk, but when you have been up against the wall at 190 lbs, dropped by the likes of Marc Mormeck and even once knocked out by aging cruiser titlist Carl Thompson, it's going to be a hard sell to convince the masses that you can cut the mustard amongst the Valuevs and Wladimirs of the world.

David has bags of confidence and it's great to have belief, but remember that what you say on the way up may slap you on the ass on the way down. Haye has faced a heavyweight before in Thomasz Bonin, who he handled clinically in his heavyweight debut last year and to be truthful looked his usual explosive self at a hard 220 pounds. But a Bonin is only a Bonin when all is said and done.

I like the promise Haye brings and his big ideas but I do prefer to see the walk before I hear the talk..  Alexander Povetkin has done the exact opposite of Haye, he has kept relatively silent, has progressed fast and has beaten everything in front of him in his humble elevation towards the top, and unlike Haye is still unbeaten in less outings, beating Chris Byrd and Eddie Chambers back to back. 

On current form David can't be faulted, but Enzo Maccarinelli isn't top ten heavyweight substance, and neither is Bonin but I save my judgment for a bigger day.  I detect a lot of Audley Harrison in Haye; it could be the braids, it could be the shades, it could even be -dare I say it- the mouth. Whatever it is, I hope his delivery is constructed from  sterner stuff than Harrison's who is labeled in many circles as damaged goods, constantly mounting comebacks.

Haye is a promoter's dream and for that I wish him well. Balls of steel are required when facing proven heavyweights with the dimensions of a Klitschko when you are a natural cruiserweight and if he is prepared to put them on the line he has my respect.. 

David has been currently training in the mountains of Cyprus, slamming slabs of muscle onto his honed body. He has done everything he said he would so far, so until he slips I have to reserve my final word. One thing I miss at heavyweight is excitement and drama, two elements that David Haye very often does bring.

The jury is out...

Questions? Comments? Write Stephen Jones