Friday 5 February 2016 16:30, UK
David Haye's ability to cope with the tempo set by younger fighters like Anthony Joshua will be key to his success, according to Evander Holyfield.
Former world heavyweight champion Holyfield refused to be drawn on the issue of Haye's (27-2-KO25) motivation in returning but believes the 35-year-old Londoner needs to match his hand speed with a solid engine if he's to regain a world title.
Having seen Haye demolish Mark de Mori inside a round on his return back in January, Holyfield told Sky Sports: "One thing about the game of boxing is that it's about the individual self. You don't know whether someone is willing to pay that price when you get in that ring.
"You can't determine what someone else can do. I know he's got the body. When I saw him blow that guy out I said: 'He's got the stuff'. But nobody swung at him and he didn't get hit by a shot. If you're on commentary, you can like a guy but you've got to tell people the real thing.
He showed he was in shape and had the power now but when he fights somebody who does what he does with quick hands...
"He showed he was in shape and had the power now but when he fights somebody who does what he does with quick hands... Haye is no longer the young kid. He's the one with experience. Anthony Joshua and Charles Martin have it. They'll be aggressive and fight fast. How do you handle it?
"I remember when I was 23 and 24 and they said I wasn't this and that. I was throwing fast. wasn't throwing boulders but I was throwing rocks and I was throwing a lot of them."
The likes of WBA Super and WBO world champion Tyson Fury, WBC holder Deontay Wilder and newly-crowned IBF king Charles Martin are a new breed of heavyweight and Holyfield believes the division is forever changing.
The 'Real Deal' said: "Behind every successful person is somebody else. It was my Mum. She didn't let me get distracted by all the things other kids my age did.
"She used to tell me that if I thought I was going to be heavyweight champion of the world, if you don't learn to be by yourself, somebody's going to talk you down from that. You have to be able to say 'no.' That's part of the support system you need to be successful.
"My Mum told me she never got fired but never got a promotion because I had to tell people exactly how I felt. Everything I was successful at in boxing was because I was able to hold my tongue, not get disqualified in Olympics. Tyson bit my ear and I kept the $35m.
"The reason why I didn't brag when I box was that my mother watched the television. She said: 'Son. The same way you go up, you come down. You watch that mouth now. That's going to determine how high you stay.'"
Haye has already confirmed he will fight again on May 21 - again at The O2.
