David Haye Only Returning For One More Fight, Explains Reason For Fighting Joe Fournier

Don’t expect David Haye to stick around when he returns.

It was announced Wednesday that Haye would come out of retirement at 40 to face Joe Fournier on the undercard of the Oscar De La Hoya vs. Vitor Belfort event on September 11.

It will be an eight-round heavyweight boxing match.

Most of all, it will simply be a one-and-done for Haye who revealed the whole backstory behind his fight with friend and billionaire-turned-boxer Fournier was to prove a point.

“This whole fight between us, came into existence when at dinner with a group in Mykonos we were asked who would win in a fight between us,” Haye said (via Boxing Scene). “I laughed, but out of respect for Joe’s ego suggested it would be close, maybe a draw – whilst winking to Joe. 

“Joe’s straight-faced response was very different. He was deadly serious stating he would win in a fight today – I assumed it was just the tequila talking. And that’s exactly where it started. A boozy night in Mykonos, two alpha-males peacocking with a crowd of girls. Fast forward two weeks, I remain happily retired from boxing, with no intentions to make a traditional comeback to challenge the monsters of the division, but am fit and ready to prove my point against my over confident billionaire buddy.” 

Haye even offered for them to have an unofficial spar at his gym. That was when Fournier brought up the idea of an official fight.

“I would’ve been more than happy to prove this point behind closed doors, I suggested a four-round spar in my Hayemaker Gym in London, which would have been more than enough to shut him up,” Haye added. “But for Fournier, the ‘Ric Flair’ of the boxing world, this would have done nothing for his ‘legacy’.

“Joe asked what it would cost to get me through the ropes one last time for an official fight, on a real stage. I told him it would have to be a package rivaling my last PPV blockbusters. A few calls with the lawyers, and here we are.”

Here we are, indeed as Triller sure loved the idea enough to add it to the undercard of De La Hoya’s own comeback to boxing.