David Haye No Underdog Against Goliath Nikolay Valuev

As England's David Haye prepares to fight Nikolay Valuev for the WBA heavyweight championship on Saturday, the British press is making it out to be a David vs. Goliath tale: At 6-foot-3 and 215 pounds, Haye, the storyline goes, is facing a monumental challenge against Valuev, who's 7 feet tall and 320 pounds.

The TV interviewers in the cilp above suggest that Haye must be "mad" to challenge Valuev. The UK Mirror says, "Valuev should be the overwhelming favourite because of his physical advantages and his superior ring experience, both of which dwarf Haye's tiny credentials." A Guardian writer says he's picking Haye "against the odds and perceptions." The UK Express notes that Haye is "taking a gamble" by fighting Valuev.

But those who are actually gambling on Haye vs. Valuev know better: Haye is a -200 favorite because Haye is a much, much more skilled boxer than Valuev. The David vs. Goliath angle is a fun way to hype a fight, but the Biblical David wasn't the betting favorite the way this David is.

Still, although the fight has something of a freak show element to it, I find the matchup fascinating. Haye is moving up from cruiserweight, where he was the champion of the world, to take on the biggest heavyweight champion in boxing history. That's an easy storyline to promote, and it'll give boxing fans something we haven't seen before -- even if it's not quite the fight the promoters are selling.