Haye's boxing career was impressive. He unified the cruiserweight division and won the Ring magazine and lineal titles. Later, he moved up to heavyweight and grabbed the WBA title. His notable wins include victories over Derek Chisora, Audley Harrison, Enzo Maccarinelli, and Nikolai Valuev.
But Haye's career wasn't all smooth sailing. He faced persistent injury troubles and ended up retiring at 35 after back-to-back losses to Tony Bellew in the heavyweight division.
During the interview with Froch, Haye didn't hold back when assessing his abilities against other top fighters. He said:
"In my prime I think I beat everyone except Holyfield. He'd have smashed me, no doubt."
This statement shows Haye's respect for Evander Holyfield, who set the bar for success in both cruiserweight and heavyweight divisions back in the 1990s.
When asked about a potential matchup with current champion Oleksandr Usyk, Haye gave an honest assessment:
"Yeah definitely, for sure. But I can see a version where he beats me, he out-fiddles me with the southpaw [stance]. He's super clever. I can see a version where I nail him with the right hand. If I catch him, I win the fight, if I don't catch him, I probably lose on points."
Haye's analysis shows he understands the challenges Usyk presents. He knows his best chance would be landing a big right hand, but he also acknowledges Usyk's skills could lead to a points loss for him.
Usyk, at 37, is still active in the boxing world. He's followed in the footsteps of Holyfield and Haye by winning world titles in both cruiserweight and heavyweight divisions. Usyk has even gone a step further, becoming undisputed champion in both classes. His next fight might be against Joseph Parker, who's the WBO mandatory challenger.
Haye's reflections give us a glimpse into the mind of a champion. They show his confidence in his abilities, but also his respect for other great fighters in the sport.