David Haye sparring David Price in run up to Klitschko bout

Ask any boxer to name the single most important part of training camp and I'd imagine most of them would pinpoint sparring as number one. Sparring helps us fighters improve timing and reactions, as well as familiarise ourselves with sensations and certain strategies we will try to implement on the night of the fight. It is also important to reach an ideal balance between doing too much sparring and not enough.

If you find yourself doing too much sparring, the likelihood is you'll either be fatigued by the time of the fight or you will peak too soon. Whenever you hear a fighter talk about 'leaving it in the gym' after a loss, it usually means they overtrained and perhaps did too much sparring. On the flip-side, if you choose to do very little sparring, don't complain to me if your timing is a little off come fight time.



As for my own sparring habits, I tend to fluctuate between doing lots and doing little, depending on the type of fight I'm preparing for. If I'm training for a fight that requires me doing things that don't come naturally, I will rely on lots of sparring to practice those moves and make sure I get them right. I tend to do less sparring if my opponent's style requires a more simple or clear game plan.

I have already enjoyed some great sparring sessions for my next on July 2nd and I'm getting very close to fighting shape already. In the past few weeks I have worked extensively with three unbeaten heavyweights, all of whom are slightly taller than my next opponent Wladimir Klitschko.

Deontay Wilder and Kelvin Price both arrived from America to help me out, and last week Britain's own David Price dropped into the gym to do a load of rounds with me ahead of his British title eliminator with John McDermott next weekend.

Each of the heavyweights brought different things to the table and they all kept me on my toes. Deontay was athletic, busy and fast with his right hand, while Kelvin brought lots of awkwardness and speed behind a snappy jab. Most of you will have seen David Price box already, but it's fair to say he mimics Klitschko about as well as anybody else in the heavyweight division. His jab is very good, his right hand is heavy and his foundations are extremely solid.

I've sparred David plenty at various stages of my boxing life and it goes without saying that he's better now than ever before. In addition to his great fundamentals, David now has the confidence to throw his hands freely and I've got no doubt he will shock a few people next weekend in Liverpool. I can see David looking a million dollars against McDermott. It will soon be time for new faces in the domestic and world heavyweight division and I feel Price is the man to make the move and become this country's next world-class big guy.

I will also be looking at new faces in my own training camp next week, as a fresh batch of sparring partners arrive to put me through my paces. I'm excited to see what they bring and am keen to continue working on moves and tactics that have so far served me well in sparring. By the time I meet Klitschko in Hamburg, these moves will have become second nature, and the process of finding an opening and landing my right hand on his chin will be as smooth and routine as waking up and brushing my teeth...

Peace,

David Haye,
AKA 'The Hayemaker'
http://www.hayemaker.com

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