Editing David Haye (section)

===WBA heavyweight champion===
====Haye vs. Valuev====
{{Main|Nikolai Valuev vs. David Haye}}
Haye then confirmed that he would meet the [[List of WBA world champions#Heavyweight|WBA champion]] [[Nikolay Valuev]] (50–1, 34 KOs) on 7 November 2009 in the [[Nuremberg Arena]], Nuremberg, Germany. Haye's former trainer [[Adam Booth]] said it was a fight that Valuev wanted; it was billed as [[David and Goliath]].<ref name="Haye to fight WBA champion Valuev">{{cite news |title=Haye to fight WBA champion Valuev |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/boxing/8164412.stm |publisher=BBC Sport |date=23 July 2009 |access-date=23 July 2009 }}</ref> Haye weighed in at 217&nbsp;pounds, almost 100&nbsp;pounds less than his opponent. Haye said about Valuev: "He is the ugliest thing I have ever seen. I have watched ''[[The Lord of the Rings (film series)|Lord of the Rings]]'' and films with strange-looking people, but for a human being to look like he does is pretty shocking."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/funny_old_game/8268911.stm|title=Sport quotes of the week |last=Charles|first=Chris|date=23 September 2009|work=BBC Sport|access-date=23 September 2009}}</ref>

Haye beat Valuev in a reserved display of accuracy and efficiency, countering Valuev's misses, jabbing and circling his much larger opponent.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2009/nov/08/david-haye-nikolai-valuev | location=London | work=The Guardian | title=David Haye beat Nikolai Valuev despite suffering a broken hand | first=Kevin | last=Mitchell | date=8 November 2009}}</ref> Haye came close to knocking Valuev down in the final round with a hard left hand, which made Valuev stumble. Haye won a [[majority decision]] (MD) with scores of 114–114, 116–112, and 116–112.<ref>{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20160304022638/http://boxingnews365.com/haye-takes-wba-heavy-title.html > Haye Takes WBA Heavy Title!]}}. BoxingNews365. Retrieved on 17 June 2011.</ref> Haye is the first and currently only boxer in the history of the sport to be seven [[stone (Imperial mass)|stone]] or more lighter than an opponent in a world title fight and still come out victorious.{{Citation needed|date=January 2010}} The fight garnered 469,000 buys on [[Sky Sports Box Office]], which saw Haye receive a payday of £2.1 million.<ref name=":1">{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-13943609|title=Haye looks for heavyweight payday|last=Lalani|first=Zahid|date=2011-06-29|work=BBC News|access-date=2018-05-12|language=en-GB}}</ref>

====Haye vs. Ruiz====
{{Main|David Haye vs. John Ruiz}}
On 26 January 2010, former WBA champion [[John Ruiz]] was announced as Haye's first title defence on 3 April at the [[Manchester Arena|M.E.N Arena]] in [[Manchester]], live on Sky Box Office. Ruiz, ranked as the number one contender by the WBA was initially in line to fight Valuev, however agree to step aside. Ruiz was unhappy at the fight being staged in the UK and not [[Las Vegas]], as he thought it would be. Ruiz did not show up at the official press conference.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://bleacherreport.com/articles/334239-ruiz-and-haye-sign-b-hop-waits|title=John Ruiz and David Haye Sign, Bernard Hopkins Waits|last=James|first=CJ|work=Bleacher Report|access-date=2018-01-19|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.britishboxers.co.uk/2010/01/david-haye-v-john-ruiz-set-for/|title=David Haye v John Ruiz set for the Manchester M.E.N on 3 April 2010|date=2010-01-26|work=British Boxing News|access-date=2018-01-19|language=en-GB}}</ref> Haye defeated Ruiz in his first WBA title defence by TKO in the ninth round after knocking Ruiz down four times during the fight. This was only the second time Ruiz had been stopped, after being knocked out in round one by [[David Tua]] 14 years prior to facing Haye. After the fight, Haye immediately called on both [[Klitschko brothers]], after claiming their recent challengers [[Eddie Chambers]] and [[Chris Arreola]] were "a disgrace to boxing."<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.badlefthook.com/2010/4/3/1404020/david-haye-bashes-past-john-ruiz|title=David Haye bashes past John Ruiz in nine rounds|work=Bad Left Hook|access-date=2018-01-19}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/boxing/david-haye/7550752/David-Haye-v-John-Ruiz-Londoner-stops-gritty-American-in-style.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220112/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/boxing/david-haye/7550752/David-Haye-v-John-Ruiz-Londoner-stops-gritty-American-in-style.html |archive-date=12 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=David Haye v John Ruiz: Londoner stops gritty American in style|journal=Daily Telegraph|first=Gareth A.|last=Davies|date=2010-04-04|access-date=2018-01-19|language=en-GB|issn=0307-1235}}{{cbignore}}</ref> Haye earned a £1 million purse for the bout.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.boxingnews24.com/2016/01/204130/|title=David Haye: King of the Pay Day » Boxing News 24|date=2016-01-15|website=Boxing News 24|language=en-US|access-date=2019-05-24}}</ref>

====Haye vs. Harrison====
{{Main|David Haye vs. Audley Harrison}}
It was confirmed on 7 September 2010 that Haye would fight Audley Harrison on 13 November 2010 at the Manchester Arena. The press conference for the bout became heated, leading to the two fighters swearing at each other on live television.<ref name="WBA champion David Haye to fight Audley Harrison">{{cite news | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/boxing/8968472.stm | title = WBA champion David Haye to fight Audley Harrison | publisher = BBC Sport | access-date = 7 September 2010 | date = 7 September 2010}}</ref> On 13 November 2010, Haye defeated Harrison with one minute, seven seconds remaining of the third round by TKO. [[Southpaw stance|Southpaw]] Harrison landed one punch during the entire fight. He staggered to his feet after being knocked down, only for Haye to immediately pounce right back on him, hitting him with another flurry of punches. The referee intervened and ended the bout.<ref name="David Haye targets Klitschko brothers for next fight">{{cite news |title=David Haye targets Klitschko brothers for next fight  |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/boxing/9187669.stm|publisher=BBC Sport|date=14 November 2010 |access-date=14 November 2010 |first=Ben |last=Dirs}}</ref> Haye earned £4.2 million for the fight and Harrison had a purse of £1.5 million. The fight was bought by 223,000 households in the UK on Sky Box Office.<ref name=":1" /> An investigation took place after the fight and Harrison's purse was withheld, due to his underwhelming performance. After listening to Harrison's explanation, the [[British Boxing Board of Control]] decided to release his purse.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.espn.co.uk/boxing/sport/story/67189.html|title=Harrison allowed to keep Haye purse|website=ESPN.co.uk|access-date=2019-05-24}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.boxingnews24.com/2011/01/the-bbbofc-lets-audley-harrison-gets-to-keep-entire-purse-for-haye-bout/|title=The BBBofC lets Audley Harrison keep his entire purse from the Haye bout » Boxing News 24|date=2011-01-11|website=Boxing News 24|language=en-US|access-date=2019-05-24|archive-date=14 June 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130614043653/http://www.boxingnews24.com/2011/01/the-bbbofc-lets-audley-harrison-gets-to-keep-entire-purse-for-haye-bout/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Haye's plans to [[Unified champion|unify]] the heavyweight division took a major setback in January 2011 when it was revealed that [[Tomas Adamek]] would fight one of the Klitschko brothers in September 2011,<ref>{{cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/boxing/9376173.stm | work=BBC News | title=Haye hopes dented by Adamek deal | date=26 January 2011}}</ref> before his planned retirement in October of that year. However, in April 2011, it was announced that Haye and Wladimir Klitschko had agreed to meet at the [[Imtech Arena]] in [[Hamburg]] on 2 July 2011.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/boxing/13140466.stm|title=David Haye and Wladimir Klitschko set for 2 July fight|date=20 April 2011|publisher=BBC}}</ref>

====Haye vs. Wladimir Klitschko====
{{Main|Wladimir Klitschko vs. David Haye}}

Haye vs. Klitschko was the first heavyweight unification fight since Klitschko and [[Sultan Ibragimov]] fought back in 2008, when Klitschko beat Ibragimov and added the WBO title to his [[List of IBF world champions#Heavyweight|IBF title]]. Klitschko defeated Haye by [[unanimous decision]] (UD) to become the unified [[World Boxing Association#Super titles|WBA (Super)]], IBF, WBO, and ''The Ring'' heavyweight champion.<ref>[http://www.rte.ie/sport/boxing/2011/0702/haye_klitschko.html Klitschko dominates Haye in Hamburg clash – RTÉ Sport] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110704082543/http://www.rte.ie/sport/boxing/2011/0702/haye_klitschko.html |date=4 July 2011 }}. Rte.ie (2 July 2011). Retrieved on 26 January 2013.</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2011/jul/02/david-haye-wladimir-klitschko-live|title=David Haye v Wladimir Klitschko – as it happened|date=2 July 2011|work=Guardian|access-date=4 July 2011|location=London|first=Gregg|last=Roughley}}</ref> Klitschko and Haye agreed to a 50–50 split of the purse and Haye was allotted 7,000 seats at the venue.<ref>[http://boxrec.com/show_display.php?show_id=619703 BoxRec Boxing Records] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150617022145/http://boxrec.com/show_display.php?show_id=619703 |date=17 June 2015 }}. Boxrec.com. Retrieved 19 June 2011.</ref><ref>[http://www.fightnews.com/Boxing/klitschko-haye-in-hamburg-82077 Boxing – Klitschko-Haye in Hamburg] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110424075421/http://www.fightnews.com/Boxing/klitschko-haye-in-hamburg-82077|date=24 April 2011}}. Fightnews.com (20 April 2011). Retrieved 19 June 2011.</ref><ref>[http://www.rtl.de/cms/information/boxen/boxen_news/boxen-klitschko-haye.html?startid=658890 Profile], RTL.de. Retrieved 19 June 2011.</ref> Klitschko dominated the fight, statistically outlanding Haye nearly 2 to 1. The three judges scored it 117–109, 118–108, and 116–110 all in favour of Klitschko. Haye revealed afterwards that he had a broken toe.<ref name="Klitschko comprehensively settles score with Haye">{{cite news|url=http://www.espn.co.uk/boxing/sport/story/99125.html|title=Klitschko comprehensively settles score with Haye|date=2 July 2011|access-date=2 July 2011|publisher=ESPN}}</ref> Both Klitschko and Haye reportedly earned $32 million each for the bout.<ref>{{cite web|date=7 July 2016|title=Как боксеры выбивают большие деньги|url-status=dead|work=klitschko-brothers.com|url=https://klitschko-brothers.com/novosti/kak-boksery-vybivayut-bolshie-dengi.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201127032251/https://klitschko-brothers.com/novosti/kak-boksery-vybivayut-bolshie-dengi.html|archive-date=27 November 2020|access-date=10 September 2022}}</ref>