Friday 29 September 2017 14:48, UK
Carl Froch wonders if David Haye made mistakes in the first fight with Tony Bellew, and what differences will Hayemaker make for the rematch...
Tony Bellew will be quietly confident but dismissive of David Haye. He won't listen to, or take anything he says seriously. Maybe the tables have turned.
'Bomber' might well be thinking there is no chance of Haye getting into the ring 100 per cent fit after the Achilles injury. I hope he doesn't think that and I get the feeling, he won't. He can't.
Haye now goes into this rematch knowing that Bellew can punch, can box and can take his shots. He took his punishment. Will anything change?
I spoke to David yesterday and he sounds to me like he is really enjoying this rematch already. If I am honest, when it was first mentioned, I thought he would be crazy taking this so soon. But he is now with Ismael Salas, who I am expecting to give him another dimension, and he tells me the operation was a complete success.
Whether David Haye is as fast as he was, or strong as he could be at the age of 37, is one thing. But I do know he believes in himself and believes it is all back.
He did say all that in the first fight, but he also just dismissed Bellew. He won't do that this time. He was wound-up but he had no respect for and totally disregarded him. It was a bit like me and George Groves.
In the first one I just thought I was going to go in there hit him on the chin and iron him out. And I mean as soon as I hit him. But then, it was suddenly hard to hit him. I was trying too hard, trying to load up and all of a sudden I realised I hadn't taken the training that serious.
David says he didn't do what I did, he trained properly and was not over-confident or arrogant. Maybe like me, he just thought he would get the job done with no fuss, then move on. Throw in the unusual endings to both, it is so similar to what I went through. Yes, I won the first one, but people were genuinely expecting me to lose that return.
Will people think the same about Bellew? I still believe this is a genuine 50-50, even if I didn't last time.
Haye now goes into this rematch knowing that Bellew can punch, can box and can take his shots. He took his punishment. Will anything change? Well we will see...
Watch Tony Bellew vs David Haye II, from the O2, London, on Sunday, December 17, live on Sky Sports Box Office.
