Boxing News: David Haye knew his career was finished just 35 seconds into Tony Bellew rematch
David Haye has admitted he knew he was finished as a professional boxer within the first minute of his rematch with Tony Bellew.
The former two-weight world champion left the squared circle in 2013 after a glittering career saw him take on some of the biggest names at cruiserweight and heavyweight.
But he was tempted into a comeback in 2016 as he sought to become a two-time world heavyweight champion after the demise of Wladimir Klitschko and the subsequent scattering of the heavyweight trinkets brought the ‘Hayemaker’ out of retirement.
After a series of comfortable comeback wins, he stepped up to face fellow cruiserweight conqueror Bellew in March 2017 only to snap his Achilles in the sixth round.
A rematch was planned, scrapped and then re-booked again, but the Bermondsey-born brawler has admitted he knew his body was not up to scratch as he was dropped heavily three times before referee Howard Foster stopped the May 2018 sequel.
Speaking to the , Haye said: “I knew about 35 seconds into the first round of that second fight with Tony Bellew that this was it.
“It just felt all wrong, it was really weird. I've never had it before. It just didn't feel like a boxing match, it felt really strange.
“I was kind of posturing and hoping something would click into how it always was, and it just didn't click in at any stage.
“Even in the early rounds, the rounds I was winning, it just felt that everything was an effort. Even to move and bounce, it was all an effort.
“I’d see opportunities after they'd gone, whereas before I'd see it and just deal with it. But it just got to that point where I just couldn't see and it was too late. Where I'd normally slip and counter I was just getting hit. It was a feeling I've never had before and would never like to have ever again to be brutally honest!”
Haye dazzled fans with his lightning fast reflexes and explosive power in the early part of his career as he annihilated all-comers in the cruiserweight ranks to claim the undisputed titles.
He then toppled the enormous Nikolai Valuev in 2009 to claim the WBA heavyweight title, a belt he defended twice before losing to Wladimir Klitschko in 2011.
But the 39-year-old, who now manages former foe Dereck Chisora, admits he is glad he pushed his body right to breaking point before hanging up his gloves.
He added: “I’m glad it ended as conclusively as it did so it doesn't leave me with any thoughts that 'maybe one day I can do a little bit better, if it wasn't for my Achilles then I could have done it.
“I knew that was it. I can remember that feeling of 'that's it, you've pushed it as far as it's humanly possible to push it, you've given it a good go, you've given yourself the best chance, you're as healthy as you've ever been, you're as strong, you're as fit' - but it's not about strength or fitness, it's about how much fight your body can fight.
“And once that flame's out, it's out for good.”