Emanuel Steward Fully Breaks Down Klitschko vs. Haye

Hall of Fame trainer Emanuel Steward Heads to Germany on Saturday where he says the hard training will start on Monday for World Champion Wladimir Klitschko (52-3, 46KOs). London’s own David Haye (22-1, 21KOs) will challenge for Klitschko's WBO, IBF and IBO heavyweight titles in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, on June 20, in the Veltins Arena.

The stadium is expected to be filled to the brim with fight fans to the tune of over 70,000. It has been quoted as being the biggest boxing event in Germany since the Max Schmeling era of the 1930’s.

The pre-fight publicity has been heating up and Haye has gotten under the skin of Klitschko more than any other fighter in his 55 fight professional career.

What has ticked off the Champion most though is the T-shirt that Haye wore in both Covent Gardens and New York depicting himself holding the severed heads of both Vitali and Wladimir Klitschko.

Steward who has often been loud in his proclaiming of his fighters greatness took the time to share his thoughts today with me in an exclusive interview.

So Manny the hard training starts on Monday is your Champion ready?

“Klitschko is very detailed and regimented in his training and always stays in shape. He works his jab constantly back and forth across the ring along with various other drills in his routine. Then we come in and all the hard boxing starts at the beginning of the week. Three maybe four weeks of hard boxing will get him down right. He is never out of shape that is the difference with some of these fighters.”

He always seems to have his cool, doesn’t he Emanuel?

“This time he may have gotten a little bit irritated by some of the comments, but that is good.”

This is the first time that I can remember that he really lost his composure and let someone get to him.

“He was a little bit like that when he fought Chris Byrd the second time, not so much what Chris Byrd said but the comments from people in his camp. Things like keep putting pressure on him, he has no heart, he has no stamina, and even during the fight after Chris had been knocked down he could hear them telling him that stuff and that irritated him a lot.”

Even after Chris was knocked down they were saying he had nothing!

“Yes, and then Wladimir knocked him down again!”

Kind of funny when you hear the entourage yelling “Get up, he can’t hurt you”

“Boxing is about the loneliest sport there is, it a very tough sport, mentally and physically. Your body is being abused physically it’s not like someone is running across a line or swimming in a pool, track or basketball. Very intense on the mind and body, you must be 100 percent, every little flaw physically can hurt you in boxing even a bad finger tip can distract you.”

I get a lot of people in my gym that play other sports throughout the year and they all tell me that training for boxing is the toughest, the hardest workout.

What do you feel Haye is going to attempt accomplish?

“Well Haye is going to come out throwing Haye-makers and hopes he gets lucky, it’s not that difficult to figure out his strategy. He knows from watching all these other guys that he can’t outbox Wladimir. He believes that Wladimir’s chin is not the best chin and he wants to get him into an20all out slugfest where he can get uncoordinated and awkward. So that’s his plan and it’s a simple plan and I don’t think it’s going to be any different. Nothing is going to change-up. ”

Do you think David’s criticism of Wladimir’s last six opponents being to old, to slow, etc. are warranted? When you look down his resume there are some guys missing like Steve Cunningham and O’Neill Bell who are or were the men in the division.

“Monte Barrett is the only heavyweight that he (Haye) has fought and Wladimir knocked Barrett out ten years ago and even refused to use him in sparring two years ago because Wladimir hurt him the first week he was there. He never faced the best cruiserweights either and earned his fights strictly with his mouth. I’m glad about that though. It should be a good fight though regardless of that though because he is going to be throwing missiles.”

Is Wladimir’s demeanor when you are talking to him any different than the last few fights?

“This is the only one that he is getting excited about because he is fighting a young fighter the last few fights he has been fighting veteran guys who are more content on survival. It was very difficult to get excited about those guys who are not trying to take any risks and its difficult to fight survivors especially if you are an intelligent fighter the way Wladimir is. Younger fighters are going to come in intending to win, therefore they have a better chance to win than veteran fighters but also the younger fighters have a better chance of getting knocked out.”

We spoke in the past Emanuel about how the last few fighters really didn’t make Wladimir look good in the ring. Will the next few fights change that?

“I think the next three fights, if he gets to fight all of the three fights we hope, are all young and aggressive fighters that will make Wlad look sensational. Haye, Chris Arreola, and Poventkin. These guys are the complete opposite of the Brewster, Thompson, and Rahman. A totally different thing. These are the guys that have the better chance of beating him but also the better chance of making Wladimir look go.”

Of the three who puts up the best fight?

“To be honest Wladimir is in a class by himself. It’s not bragging I think it’s just a fact. I don’t see any of them doing anything with him. Haye will, I think because he is going to come out a little wilder, throwing a lot of punches, Haye-makers. I can’t see any of those guys doing to much. I have been watching these guys a long time and have saw them train and been with some in different capacities and I just see Wladimir in a class by himself right now. David will be the most exciting of the three.”

Break down Haye as a fighter for us Emanuel.

“He comes in to win, got very fast hands, and he throws punches with full power. A very exciting fighter to watch. You have to be very careful with him because he does punch with both hands . He is the type of guy that is going to go for the homerun, so it makes for a good fight. It makes the fight all the better because of the challenge. He has plans to knock out Wladimir he doesn’t come in planning to survive. This fight will be great for the fans and will probably be watched by more fans worldwide than have watched any heavyweight fight because just in Germany alone there will be about 15 million watching it on TV. We are trying to get a record two million here and they will have 15.”

Compare the power of Samuel Peter with David Haye!

“Haye’s speed is the big difference thus the more power because he is faster. Much more steam to his punches, Peter is slower.”

Are you worried about the wide punches?

“No more than I would worry about any type or anyone would be when you have that type of guys that swings with full speed on all of his punches. Haye has a pretty good punch, some are wide some are not. The main thing is he punches fast. KO power in both hands.”

Are you worried about the Rabbit punch from Haye?

“That could be a problem to,o it might be in his arsenal. I think more is Haye wants to make it a brawl. Rabbit punches might be in his arsenal for this fight. I love the fact that David is coming out to win. It’s very different training for a guy that is going to try to back you into the robes and fight you.”

Will the next three fights raise Wladimir’s legacy in the heavyweight division?

The next three fights will make him a very popular fighter worldwide. I think the next three fights will cement Wladimir’s legacy.

Thank you for taking time from you schedule and filling us in on Wladimir. When will we see Andy Lee in action again?

Soon I was working on that today actually. He is healing nicely and I think within the next six weeks he will be fighting again.

Thank you, Manny.