David Haye fought a fine list of opponents in his decorated career, but has now claimed one of them had a stronger chin than all the rest.
Bermondsey-born Haye was celebrated as a huge puncher across his whole career. He began down at cruiserweight where he eventually ended up clearing out the whole division.
Wins over the likes of Enzo Maccarinelli and Jean Marc Mormeck saw him become the unified champion before then moving up in 2009 to take on the towering Russian Nikolai Valuev.
Haye boxed smart for 12 rounds and took a points win to give him the WBA title, which he defended against John Ruiz and Audley Harrison before falling short in his challenge for the unified WBO and IBF titles against Wladimir Klitschko in 2012.
After that came a fifth-round knockout of Derek Chisora in July 2012 and, speaking to The Sun Boxing, Haye named ‘Del Boy’ as the opponent he thinks put up the sternest resistance to his punches.
“Derek Chisora took some big shots. I was hitting him with shots that [fans] probably didn’t even realise, but they were big, big shots.
“He finished on his feet as well. I don’t know anyone else that wouldn’t be sleeping for 10 minutes.”
The fight with Chisora became infamous for its fractious build-up, including a confrontation in Germany that saw Haye punch Chisora, and Chisora respond by claiming Haye had glassed him.
Haye retired off the back off two consecutive KO losses to Tony Bellew in 2017 and 2018, though, like much of his late career, his body let him down, and injuries played a big part.
Chisora, meanwhile, has now had 50 fights and has not yet officially hung up his gloves.
