The Real Winners and Losers from the Evander Holyfield-Vitor Belfort Card

Amanda Westcott, Triller Fight Club

No, David Haye is not ready for Tyson Fury.

Or perhaps even Tommy Fury.

But what he had left at age 40 was still more than enough to handle comparative novice Joe Fournier in their eight-round heavyweight “grudge match.”

Absent from the ring for more than three years since consecutive stoppage losses to Tony Bellew, Haye looked more than capable of handling himself against a 38-year-old foe who’d arrived with an unbeaten record against competition boasting a combined mark of 29-116-1.

The fight was officially labeled an exhibition and was contested with two-minute rounds.

Nicknamed “The Billionaire,” Fournier strolled to the ring with a curious mix of Winston Churchill and Los Lobos, but had precious little to offer afterward as Haye controlled distance with an active left jab and occasional follow-up right hands.

Haye scored the fight’s lone knockdown with a jab in the final few seconds of the first round and controlled nearly every session with the same approach, dodging Fournier’s occasional rushes and wild swings.

The ex-cruiserweight and heavyweight title claimant called for the belt-toting Fury in the aftermath, but he’d be much better suited to the burgeoning Triller senior circuit.

Two judges scored it 79-72 in Haye’s favor, while a third gave him every round on an 80-71 card.

B/R agreed and gave Haye a 79-72 nod.

“I did what I wanted to do tonight. I wanted to show the world I’ve got plenty left,” Haye said. “There’s one fighter I’d come back to professional boxing for and that’s Tyson Fury. That big, fat dosser.

“I know what he can’t handle. I’m his kryptonite. I know he knows it. His dad knows it. His uncle knows it. My overhand right, which I didn’t show in there tonight. I didn’t want to scare him. If I let my right hand go, he wouldn’t be taking the fight.”

Haye was a champion at cruiserweight following wins over Jean-Marc Mormeck and Enzo Maccarinelli in 2007 and 2008, respectively, then climbed to heavyweight for a defeat of then-WBA champion Nikolai Valuev in 2009. He defended with KOs over ex-champ John Ruiz and former Olympian Audley Harrison, but lost his belt by wide decision to Wladimir Klitschko in 2011.

He was inactive for four years following a defeat of Dereck Chisora in 2012, then scored two more wins before the consecutive losses to Bellew prompted his retirement.

“(Fury) thinks I’m 40 years old. He thinks I’m finished,” Haye said. “I’ve been out of the ring. I’ve just had one fight against Joe Fournier. He thinks it’ll be an easy fight and he’s wrong. I know he’s dodging Anthony Joshua because he doesn’t want that work. I’ll give it to him. ‘The Hayemaker’ will come for you. We were meant to fight in 2013, it didn’t happen. I’m healthy now, I’m ready to go.

“Fans want to see Tyson Fury fight someone who can knock him out. He’s been put down by way lighter punchers than myself. (Steve) Cunningham nearly had him out. Smaller guys have put him over. I know what his kryptonite is, and he’s getting knocked out when we get in the ring.”