Cruising to a bruising?

No-one knows better than our own Glenn McCrory what it's like to step up from cruiserweight to heavyweight...

We ask Glenn McCrory about mixing it with boxing's big boys

David Haye is not the first man to move up from cruiserweight to challenge for a heavyweight title. Evander Holyfield, Nikolai Valuev's last opponent did it and long before him, Sky Sports' very own Glenn McCrory did it. McCrory won the IBF cruiserweight belt some 19 years ago and immediately stepped up to take on the last Brit to rule the heavyweight division, Lennox Lewis. He lost a heated battle for Lewis' British and European belts at the Albert Hall and pretty much signalled the end of the career of a man once dubbed 'the White Bruno'. But it still meant putting on an incredible four stones in little over 16 months and dealing with a whole new set of problems posed by the big boys - something Haye has been getting used to. Here, McCrory talks us through the step up and how he sees it affecting the Londoner's chances of capturing the WBA title...

SKYSPORTS.COM: If anyone is well-placed to talk about moving up to heavyweight it's you, Glenn. Are there any comparisons between you and David Haye?
McCRORY: It was a little different for me because I actually started as a professional at heavyweight at 19 and moved back down and then up to fight Lennox Lewis. But even then as a young kid, it felt like I was going in with a monster! All of them seemed so much bigger than me - and they put the fear of God into me.

SKYSPORTS.COM: Monster... that same word has been used to describe Valuev. You never had the same size difference to overcome, did you?
McCRORY: Lennox was big, but not that big! This is not just about moving up from cruiser, it's not the same old story of stepping up a division. A lot of fighters have made that move up, myself included, but David is fighting an absolute monster, a colossus - and that is the big difference. This guy is not your average heavyweight, he's a giant - this really is David and Goliath.

SKYSPORT.COM: Size apart, what is the biggest problem Valuev will pose Haye once that first bell has sounded in Nuremberg?
McCRORY: When I first started every fighter was too big for me and the one thing I remember still is the way the bigger guys would lean on me. If Valuev does that and then throws him around a bit, that will spell trouble.

SKYSPORTS.COM: What is that like, being in with a guy who is so much heavier than you - and willing to use it to his advantage?
MCCRORY: It's like having a dead weight on you, like giving someone a piggy-back; you're trying to free your hands, get away from him and all the while it is so tiring, and just drains your energy. If Valuev does that it will take away all the initial speed and zip Haye will have.

SKYSPORTS.COM: As well as speed and zip, Haye is a noted puncher and many people are giving him more than a puncher's chance? Can he make an impact against the man mountain?
McCRORY: I am hoping so. If he doesn't it could be a long, long night for him. Psychologically that is the problem David will have; once he has exploded a few of his big shots he will be waiting to see what sort of reaction they get from Valuev. And if it has none at all, well, that is going to be very, very disheartening - especially for a guy who can punch like he can.

SKYSPORTS.COM: So how does the good littl'un go about beating the good bigg'un?
McCRORY: He has to try and use speed, outwork Valuev and throw lots of punches. Although he is a big lump it means there is also a bigger target to aim at - a giant punchbag waiting to be hit. David might be wondering how am I going to reach his chin, but he needs to aim for the chest. Boxers are always told to tuck their chins in, so aim for the chest and there's every chance of catching him on the chin. And then, with David's punching power, who knows what will happen...

SKYSPORTS.COM: The target may be bigger than usual, but it is also higher than usual! What problems will that pose for Haye?
McCRORY: Punching up is very, very hard, simply because it is something fighters are not used to. I've not had to do it too many times, but it is pretty much the same as punching down against smaller guys. It's foreign to you because you usually spat with guys around your same size and physically, it means you are putting more strain on different muscles than usual.

SKYSPORTS.COM: It all sounds like a nightmare waiting to happen. Some people say it is a masterstroke taking on Valuev; do you agree?
McCRORY: Obviously only time will tell is that. But I do think David would have preferred to have boxed someone like Wladimir Klitschko. He's a better technical fighter than Valuev, but the size issue wouldn't have been as bad and David would've probably fancied his chances more - although the odds would probably be closer. Either of the Klitschko's skills would've made for a tougher fight, but this size issue is just another matter altogether.

SKYSPORTS.COM: So size is against him, it's away from home and he's hardly an experience heavyweight; is there anything for Hayemaker fans to cling on to?
McCRORY: What I do like about David is he has the temperament to pull this off. He doesn't seem to get nervous and if he does get an opportunity to catch that chin, he won't let it go. He will stand there and punch away, but he usually keeps a cool head and that will be vital, because there will be times when his spirit is pushed to the limit.