David Haye was rendered devastated after suffering his first loss against a man nobody gave a chance of beating him.
Right from his early amateur days, the Brit showcased the talent necessary to go all the way to the top.
However, he didn’t always have the discipline. After all, Haye was once kicked out of his local boxing club.
Ultimately, the young athlete suffered from overconfidence, and it eventually cost him in a big way.
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David Haye was stopped by Carl Thompson
On September 10, 2004, at Wembley Arena in London, England, David Haye went to war against Carl Thompson for the IBO title.
At 40 years of age, the underdog was considered a mere stepping stone for the upcoming fighter, but the reality turned out to be anything but.
A 23-year-old Haye started the bout at a frantic pace, landing blistering shots on his rival.
With a stoppage appearing close, the future world champion continued to look for the fight-ending shot. However, when it didn’t come, he started to tire, and Thompson pounced.
By the fifth round, the older boxer had battled his way back into the contest and dropped ‘The Hayemaker’ with a dynamite right hand.
Bravely, the favorite rose to his feet, desperately trying to keep the script intact, but Thompson wasn’t having it.
He began unleashing on Haye, landing several heavy blows that forced his rival’s corner to throw in the towel.
David Haye defeated 7ft giant in heavyweight title fight
While that night against Thompson went horribly wrong, Haye bounced back in a big way.
Showcasing the ability he always possessed, the Englishman unified the cruiserweight division, with his victory against Jean-Marc Mormeck going down as one of the best in British history.
Then, he decided to step up a weight class to take on an opponent significantly bigger than him.
In a crazy fight, Haye beat a 7ft monster to win the heavyweight title.