Haye vs Bellew: David Haye not the fighter he was, claims trainer Dave Coldwell
Thursday 2 March 2017 23:40, UK
David Haye is not the fighter he once was and is surrounded by "yes" men, claims trainer Dave Coldwell.
Coldwell was the head of Hayemaker Boxing when Haye stepped up from cruiserweight to defeat Nikolay Valuev and win the WBA heavyweight title in 2009.
However, the man Haye dismissed as "a little rat coach" will be in Tony Bellew's corner for Saturday's Sky Sports Box Office clash.
"It's the old David Haye I knew, not the new David Haye, this bitter, negative man," said Coldwell.
"I knew him when he seemed happy and at peace with himself.
"He's not as confident as you think. He has doubts, but [back then] he had people with him who'd spend time with him and be honest; not 'yes' men.
"Now he's got people around him who haven't got the bottle to tell him what's what, because they don't want to lose their jobs. He's worth a lot of money; they're thinking about the [potential Anthony] Joshua fight, not this one.
"David Haye is a reflex fighter: the speed, head movement, everything. You're watching him doing little things on the pads with Shane [McGuigan]: he ain't as fast as he thinks [anymore].
"Fighters like Haye need somebody who can pull them in, control their emotions and ego. Naz [Naseem Hamed] had it with Brendan Ingle; Haye and [former trainer] Adam Booth were the same."
Of those who worked with the heavyweight when he was at his peak, only his conditioner Ruben Tabares remains on good terms with him and a part of his team.
For all of his success with Booth, Haye's comeback has been overseen by McGuigan. Coldwell believes that particular development has contributed much to the decline he believes he has seen.
"Technically, he was much better with Adam," he said. "He's not doing certain things now that he used to do.
"He's moved to a trainer who's modelled himself on Adam Booth. He'll be doing things similarly, but not as well. He had a trainer who knew him inside out because [Booth] created that [fighting] style; now he's got one who's come in from the outside. He's just a pad man with him.
"Nobody's around him; maybe Ruben. That's another reason why he's bitter: we've all moved on and done well. I was 'a little t-shirt boy', who's had great success with fighters.
"I was never his mate, but we'd always got on. Maybe he thinks I'm that insecure that him calling me 'Penfold', I'm going to start crumbling and feel pressure. All that is is like school.
"When I started at Hayemaker, I was struggling. It was great experience for me. It taught me a lot; Adam and I learnt a hell of a lot."
