By Chris Williams: World Boxing Council (WBC) heavyweight champion Vitali Kitschko (37-2, 36 KO’s) feels that David Haye is afraid to fight him and his brother IBF/WBO heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko, and is instead looking for any easier opponent in WBA heavyweight title holder Nikolay Valuev, who Haye will be fighting on November 7th. Haye, 28, could have fought either of the Klitschko if he wanted.
Indeed, Haye was signed and ready to fight Wladimir Klitschko on June 20th, until Haye backed out all of a sudden, complaining about a back injury that occurred while shadow boxing of all things. “I don’t believe he [Haye] had an injury,” Vitali said.
“It was an excuse. My personal opinion is he sees Valuev as his best chance of becoming a world champion.” I hate to say it but it’s really hard to disagree with Vitali about his thoughts, because Haye did back out twice on the Klitschko brothers, leaving them empty handed and having to look around desperately for an opponent to substitute for Haye.
It wasn’t nearly so bad for Vitali, because Haye at least backed out two months ahead of time. But in the case of Wladimir Klitschko, Haye pulled out of the fight with just a few weeks to go, which made it difficult for Wladimir to find someone good. Although Wladimir eventually found Ruslan Chagaev to come in and replace Haye, the fight brought in much less excitement that it would have had Haye stuck it out and fought Wladimir.
Not that Haye would have done any better than Chagaev, mind you, because I think Wladimir would have likely steamrolled over the loud-talking, but smallish Haye and knocked him out in the first couple of rounds. However, it would have been much more interesting given all the trash talking that Haye had aimed at Wladimir in the months leading up to the fight.
Having Wladimir get a chance to shut Haye’s yap would have been a pleasure for more than a few boxing fans. But by Haye backing out, it looked for the most part that Haye was running scared of Wladimir and trying to get out of the fight at the last second when he suddenly realized what might happen if stepped in the ring with the huge 6’6” Wladimir.
Personally, I never for a second thought that Haye was ever going to fight Vitali. I had a strong feeling, almost a 99% believe, that Haye would back out after getting the boxing world excited about a fight with the older Klitschko brothers.
It’s not hard to see why Haye would back out. After all, the 6’8” Vitali is like a wrecking ball, bigger, stronger, much more experienced and with a better chin than Haye. The only things that Haye had going for him was his hand speed and his ability to infuriate Vitali with his taunts. Now, boxing fans may never get a chance to see Haye fight the Klitschko brothers, because Haye is going for the easier target in the 35-year-old seven foot Valuev.
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