By Nate Anderson: IBF/WBO heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko (50-3, 44 KOs) recently came in contact with David Haye last weekend in London for the “Fight for Peace” press conference, which led to Haye calling out a somewhat startled looking Wladimir Klitschko, who looked like he wanted to shrink away and disappear into the woodwork rather than tackle the confrontational Haye. During the conversation, Haye, 27, called out Klitschko repeatedly, saying “Don’t run…. Don’t hide, come and fight. Don’t run. There’s no need to hide behind these bums.” Instead of firing back and accepting Haye’s challenge, a frightened looking Wladimir said “Talk is cheap. You have to deliver in the ring. Get in the ring and do your job. Now in the heavyweight division you’re no one…behave yourself.”

However, beyond Wladimir’s words, he looked intimidated by Haye, and nothing like the way a champion should look like, especially a heavyweight that most people consider being the best in the sport at this time. Haye, absolutely the best cruiserweight fighter in boxing, has never been reluctant to fight any of the top cruiserweights in the division, previously beating Jean-Marc Mormeck, Alexander Gurov and most recently Enzo Maccarinelli with relative ease.

Haye pointed out to Wladimir that this is the fight that people want to see, not him facing “bum mandatories,” meaning Tony Thompson and Alexander Povetkin. Haye told Wladimir that he was worried that Wladimir might lose to one of them, thus erasing any future chance of Haye getting in facing him.

Wladimir, however, failed to bite, instead telling Haye to “get in line” behind all the other heavyweights in the division. While it may have been the logical thing for Wladimir to say, being that Haye has yet to face a heavyweight, aside from an over matched Polish heavyweight Tomasz Bonin, whom he knocked out in the 1st round in April 2007. However, it makes no sense in that Haye would easily be the biggest payday of Wladimir’s career, and likely his stiffest test as well. In the past, Wladimir has lost to Corrie Sanders, Lamon Brewster and Ross Puritty, all fighters that he was expected to easily beat going into the fight.

None of them were as close to being as popular as Haye, yet each of them stopped Klitschko inside the distance. In facing Haye, Wladimir would likely be facing someone that he wasn’t favoured to beat going into the fight. Perhaps for that reason, it looks bad for Wladimir to tell Haye to get in line, because Haye is already better than perhaps any of the heavyweights in the division, and even if he wasn’t, it looks like an insanely stupid move for Wladimir to skip over a big money fight like this. Say what you want about Wladimir’s lack of aggression in the ring or his bad chin, but he’s never been hesitant to accept a challenge – until now, that is.

Like I said, it looks bad for him to bypass a fighter like Haye for less media friendly fighters like Alexander Povetkin and Tony Thompson, especially when Wladimir has said that his goal is to unify all the titles in order to cement his appeal as being the best fighter in the heavyweight division. A fight against David Haye would mean more than Wladimir beating all of the heavyweight champions – Ruslan Chagaev and Samuel Peter – because very few fans care about any of those fighters.

It makes no business sense to fight them, while ignoring a fight with someone like Haye. What is does seem to show, however, is fear on Wladimir’s part. If you watched the YouTube confrontation between Wladimir and Haye, you’ll probably agree with me on this point. I couldn’t see Wladimir’s brother Vitali bypassing a fight with someone like Haye. More than that, I’d be willing to bet that Vitali would have decked Haye if he came up on him like he did Wladimir.