DAVID HAYE RAN his mouth and made a whole lot of outlandish promises during his boxing career, but when he said that he’d retire by the age of 31, it looks like he meant it.
The former world heavyweight champion celebrates his birthday this Thursday and, according to a report in The Sun, has told the British Boxing Board of Control that he’s hanging up his gloves.
In July, Haye flopped to a second career defeat when he was outpointed by Wladimir Klitschko in Hamburg, losing the WBA crown which he won against Nikolai Valuev in November 2009.
After the disappointment, the Londoner had been expected to defer his retirement plans in order to fix up either a rematch against Klitschko or a title shot against the Ukranian’s older brother, WBC champion Vitali.
But as British Boxing Board of Control secretary Robert Smith told The Sun, that now looks unlikely.
“I received an email on Monday advising me Haye would not be carrying on,” Smith said.
The board will discuss it on Wednesday but there is no way we could go against his wish not to renew his boxing licence. Without it, he can’t fight.
