Klitschko reaches agreement to fight Haye – News
December 15th, 2009
By Eric Thomas: World Boxing Council heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko (39-2, 37 KO’s) has reportedly reached a preliminary agreement to fight WBA heavyweight champion David Haye (23-1, 21 KO’s), according to the latest boxing news. In an article with the Ukrainian daily Dakty, Klitschko “In the near future I plan to fight Haye and take the title. The preliminary agreement has already been reached.”
In Haye’s last bout on November 7th, he struggled badly in beating 36-year-old WBA heavyweight champion Nikolay Valuev, a fighter who was regarded by many as having the distinction of being the weakest of heavyweight champions. Before that fight, Haye was close to signing for a fight with Vitali Klitschko. But instead, Haye chose to take the fight with Valuev.
This left some people in the boxing world with the impression that Haye wanted to take the easier fight for fear that he would be beaten by Vitali. Haye also was near to fighting IBF/WBO heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko on June 20th, only to come up lame weeks before fight complaining about a back injury.
Vitali defeated American Kevin Johnson by a one-sided 12 round decision last Saturday night in Berne, Switzerland, winning every round of the fight on two of the judges’ scorecards and 11 of the 12 rounds on the third. Klitschko’s opponent was in the survival mode from the opening seconds of the fight, staying on the ropes and hunkering down in what appeared to be a strategy to prevent from ending up as Klitschko’s 38th knockout victim.
If that was Johnson’s strategy, which is hard to see any other way given his lack of offense in the fight, then it worked perfectly for Johnson. He stayed upright then entire 12 rounds and was never hurt in the fight. However, by not taking any chances to let his own punches go, aside form throwing jabs and an occasional right hand, Johnson lost round after round and spoiled what may end up being his only attempt at challenging for a world title.
Klitschko returned from a four year retirement last year, beating then WBC heavyweight champion Samuel Peter by an 8th round stoppage. Klitschko followed that victory with stoppage wins over Juan Carlos Gomez and Chris Arreola, two of the best heavyweights in the division. Like most of Klitschko’s previous bouts, he made it look easy in beating them.
It’s hard to say how much better Haye can do than Johnson. Haye is the same size as Johnson, but with shorter arms and a not as good jab. Certainly by watching Haye’s bout with Valuev, it would seem that he would be way in over his head in a fight with Klitschko. This fight has the makings of a mismatch, although casual boxing fans will probably buy it up just the same.
Tags: 28 Responses to “Klitschko reaches agreement to fight Haye – News”
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Eric, a very good article. I agree with Andrew and Eagor. For me Haye is a cowardly dog – if this is the new generation (haye, johnson) in heavyweight boxing I will concentrate on K1.
Lets face it.Any big puncher has that one big chance of landing that lucky punch.There is also the remote possability of cutting severely. Otherwise I doubt it.But thats what makes boxing interesting.Klitchkos for now are convincing champs.
IMHO, Haye would’ve got Kevin JOhnson out of the ring with in 5 rnds. Klitchsko attributes are not as versed as Haye. He is also getting older. Although KJ was embarrasing, he showed defensive skill which Arreola and the 5 other opponents weren’t able to show.
Don’t quote me as saying Haye has this fight in the bag, cos he too has a suspect chin> i’m just saying that based of Klitchsko’s performance my money is on Haye.
But like they say- Style’s make fights!
HAYE WILL BUST UP VITALI´S FACE AND MAKE HIM QUIT. VITALI WAS ABOUT TO QUIT AGAINST LEWIS. THE REF. GAVE HIM A PLATFORM TO BUILD HIS REPUTATION BY STOPPING THE FIGHT. LEWIS WAS WALKING HIM DOWN ANYWAY AFTER TAKING HIS BEST PUNCHES.
I completely agree with Doctor, Haye is in a big trouble if he trying to beat Kliotchkos. Haye is saying that he is going to beat Klitschkos in 2010 year, that is impossible 1000%
i dont know why every one is going on about how haye looked so abd against valuev?
he did what he had to do to beat him
id like to see the k’s fight him see what they do, if you stand and fight him you will get smashed hes to big, u have to do exactly what haye did keep moving using his speed
the k’s will get the shock of there lives when they fight haye, haye will find them easier to hit and they wouldnt have fought anyone near as fast as haye
@Andrew…before the johnson fight, i would say i agree with you that haye’s dismal performance against valuev suggests that his chance against vitali is just as dismal; however, nothing is more dismal than that fool of a boxer johnson who was using his jaw muscle way more than his punching muscle and vitali’s inability to put a serious hurting on that idiot and his overall clumsiness and incoordination is even more egregious, a pathetic match altogether and to have these klods as champions in the hw division speaks more to the anemic competitions in the division and how a david tua is not given a chance to destroy these guys suggest a system that has gone haye wire…
I can’t believe some people think that David Haye has a chance of beating Vitali Klitschko.
Exactly how do people imagine Haye accomplishing this , I mean seriously !!!!
I would love someone to tell me the strategy that Haye can use to beat a guy that is much bigger, much more experienced and with a hugely better chin.
If speed is the big thing I would advise people to watch the Arreola fight again and watch how quick Vitali can be when faced with an aggressive opponent.
Rubbish article. Arreola & Gomez may be the best pie eaters in the heavyweight division but that’s about it. The heavyweight division has stagnated during the Klitscko’s rule and just about every boxing fan on the planet knows that. Haye’s the first heavyweight that actually lives the life that’s come along in years. He’ll knock both K’s out – they haven’t faced anyone that can bang like Haye in years and they both know it. Vitali’s looking way slower and his timing utterly sucked against Johnson. Haye would have knocked him out inside 6 rounds.
Vitali will get KTFO. Then his brother will. End of the Klitshco story very very soon.
I just wonder what excuse he may make to avoid this disaster.
I thought he was going to deal with a number of HW before going for the big one, we ended up with Barrett. And almost a year of nothing.
Wladimir we ended up with an substantiated back injury.
Vitali an appalling contract that nobody actually saw.
Valuev and the KO oh a broken hand,
always an excuse.
What can the next one be, I forgot to set my alarm.
UKandsodoff good comment, Couldnt have said it better, Haye did what was expected to beat valuev. I Hope for boxings sake he beats klitchko because i dont think i can watch another championship fight involving vitali. Obviously alot of questions will be answered on Hayes behalf after the Ruiz fight but to be honest with you i cant see Ruiz causing Haye any problems due to Hayes unbelievable speed and power to go with that, Haye to win Ruiz by ko before 5th….
please sack who ever wrote this artical along with scott
Haye said he was going to knock both brothers out anyway so the contract was just a guarantee to do just that. I feel Haye pulled out against Vitali knowing he’s slowing down. After all, Haye said recently ‘ He’s nearly 40 so lets make this happen’. He may beat Vitali in 6 months or so after running around the ring for most of the fight. Wladimir? Too young and well conditioned just now. Haye will probably, if he beats Vitali, get knocked out or seriously embarrassed by some c class fighter not too long from now.
Vitali showed he is well past it, Haye wll knok him out
HAYE WILL RETIRE VITALI.
think vitali will beat haye but not as easily say 3 or 4 yrs ao
People you are blame!!! Klitchko’s are the best boxers in hole history, Haye is just another trash!!!
Great comment by Ukansodoff, agree 100%. You should be writing the articles on here instead of these bozos.
This article is terrible. Haye did exactly what was need against Valuev, and KO’d Barrett having punished him for 4 rounds. As for Johnson having a better jab than Haye, are you serious? Did he even throw a punch against Vitali? I think there would be a lot of hype over a Haye Klitschko fight, but i think Haye has too much power and far too much speed for Vitali or Wladimir.
The Klitschko brothers rule they will own the Hayemaker
haye will throw bombs at old man vitali all nite
the way klitscho performed sat night haye will kill him
lol. Arreola & Gomez are two of the best in the division. Please be serious…..Gomez is maybe in the top 15. Arreola is just a butterbean attraction- he certainly aint an athlete & aint anywhere near the top of the division!!
Eric Thomas i expected better from you. You have to realise that Haye did what has to be done to beat Valuev, and hed of done more had he not broke his hand, you fail to mention the hand.
Haye has hardly impressed? Id say hes hardly NOT impressed, fight 1 was a 1 round KO, fight 2 was a round 5 KO after 4 earlier knock downs and his 3rd fight he won a world title while wobbling an unwobblable boxer with a combination which involved a broken hand.
I will admit that the questions over his stamina and chin have not been answered yet and if the problems are there then this could be a huge hinderence. But that aside how can you say hes been unimpressive?
And as for this Vitali fight, they have been at this stage before, last time it fell apart once the contracts were trying to be agreed on, unless Vitali comes with someting much more fair i see Haye ignoring it again.
why would haye try and out jab vitali you fiend
Klitschko signed himself to get KTFO! haha
Good