David Haye’s career soared to great heights as the Brit became a world champion, but his former amateur coach reminded him many years ago that no man is bigger than the boxing club.
David Haye retired in 2018 after back-to-back losses to Tony Bellew, with a record of 28-4.
Haye holds wins over Nikolai Valuev, Enzo Maccarinelli, John Ruiz, and Derek Chisora but fell short against Carl Thompson, Bellew, and Wladimir Klitschko.
Ahead of his fight with Klitschko, Haye’s amateur coach Mick Carney of Fitzroy Lodge Amateur Boxing Club in Lambeth, South London, spoke on why he kicked Haye out of the club.
“No boy is bigger than the boxing club”… David Haye’s former coach tells of kicking out ‘The Hayemaker’
Ahead of his world title challenge against Klitschko, his former coach Mick Carney previewed the fight, and gave some insight into what a young Haye was like:
“He came in here at the age of ten, hitting everything in sight, he was really enthusiastic, full of energy.”
He said of the upcoming fight: “You’ve got to remember where David is tonight that’s where he’s always wanted to be so he’s not going to freeze.”
Carney also spoke on kicking Haye out of the club: “No boy is bigger than the gym, he was a trifle lazy. […] He was talented, but lazy and it didn’t work out at the end.”
Despite this, Carney still wished Haye the very best in the fight, which Haye went on to lose by unanimous decision.
Fitzroy Lodge’s current head coach, Mark Reigate, also spoke on Haye being kicked out of the club, and highlights the late Carney’s message:
“We’ve always said that no one’s bigger than the boxing club. […] David Haye was in the gym, boxed for the club. He was there from about the age of eight, boxed there for a bit as a junior, went away, got growing pains, came back. Talent. Talent from day one. So then he starts playing up, gets in trouble.
He’s boxing for England, get’s in trouble for what he’s doing, being lazy and that, so first people they ring up is Mick. […] Next thing, Mick has enough of it all and just throws him out of the club.”
Reigate said: “Just goes to show no one’s bigger than the club. The club will always be there.”
A charity, Carney’s Community, has been set up by Reigate in order to help under-privileged children and young adults through boxing.
David Haye fought with a ruptured Achilles against ‘The Bomber’
In the Brit’s penultimate fight, Haye took on domestic rival, Tony Bellew, in a fight which went tragically for ‘The Hayemaker’.
Haye was ahead on points after five rounds, but ruptured his Achilles, which marked a significant turning point in the fight.
He did his best to fight on, making it all the way to the eleventh round, but when his Achilles gave way again and he was knocked down, his trainer, Shane McGuigan, knew it was time to step in and throw in the towel.
Both men were respectful of each other following the fight, with Bellew, who punched Hollywood actor Michael B. Jordan, saying, according to BoxRec:
“In my eyes I’ve beaten the best cruiserweight this country has ever produced and one of the best heavyweights. I am honoured to fight in the same ring as him.”
Haye said of the loss: “The ankle was just one of those things. The better man won on the night. It wasn’t my night. I didn’t land the good shots, I was in good shape but his game was better than mine. It felt like a Rocky movie and I was one punch away from knocking him out but I couldn’t quite do it.”