Haye sticks to his guns by refusing to apologise
After receiving heat for making a recent analogy about his upcoming fight with European heavyweight champion Audley Harrison, WBA heavyweight champ, David Haye, has refused to apologize for his comments, sparking even more criticism.
Yesterday Haye, speaking to a small group of reporters after a Sky Sports News Conference, said that his fight with Harrison was going to be as “one sided as a gang-rape.”
Reporters and various outlets responded negatively to the comment, with Rape Crisis Charity chief executive Yvonne Traynor saying: “For Mr. Haye to think that it is acceptable to make this comparison is a serious lack of judgment and intelligence and shows that he neither knows what he is talking about nor who is going to be affected by this tasteless comment."
In response, Haye said that he “can’t say sorry for every stupid thing” that he says. While this is probably true in that fighters often trash talk opponents before fights, many are wondering if Haye’s comments will set a new precedent for what is entertained as trash talk before a fight.
Traynor continued: “Gang rape is a serious and violent crime against humanity leaving the survivor severely traumatised, terrified and violated.”
David Haye is preparing for his November 13 heavyweight bout against Audley Harrison, for which he is the strong favourite. Harrison was selected as an opponent after negotiations with Wladimir and Vitali Klitschko fell through. Haye and Harrison shared a personal history, both being British fighters, but in recent years have turned in friendship and become foes.
Haye is well known for his offensive banter before bouts, presumably in an effort to gain a psychological edge over his opponents. In the middle of negotiations with the Klitschkos, he famously showed up at a press conference wearing a t-shirt depicting him holding both of their heads severed from their bodies. Needless to say, the graphic representation did not make fans out the Ukrainian Klitschko brothers.
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