By William Mackay: World Boxing Association heavyweight champion David Haye (23-1, 21 KO’s) says in an article at the Mirror that he’s out to “unify the titles.” For that to happen, Haye, 29, will have to get through both the Klitschko brothers who hold the IBF, WBC and WBO heavyweight titles. Haye says “I want two more hard years in the boxing business to bring all the belts together and give the fight fans a champion they can recognize.” Haye is going to have to really pray that he can accomplish all that in just two short years, because he’s got a long ways to go if he wants to fight both brothers.

Haye has been his own worst enemy as far as fighting the Klitschko brothers after pulling out of his scheduled June 20th fight last year with International Boxing Federation/WBO heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko complaining of a sudden back injury. Haye then set his sights on WBC heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko, only to pull out of talks with him in order to take a fight against then WBA heavyweight champion Nikolay Valuev on November 7th. Haye defeated Valuev and captured the WBA title, but his performance was less than awe inspiring as Haye ran for most of the fight, timidly pawing with his jab and occasionally throwing right hands at the painfully slow Valuev. Haye treated Valuev as if he was a knockout artist instead of a light puncher, and really didn’t let his hands go until the final round when Haye came to live briefly and staggered Valuev at one point.

Haye says “I could take the easy route like the Klitschko brothers and fight fat no-hopers and make easy defence after easy defence. I want to get in with the other champions, in real fights, for real money and hopefully restore pride to the division.” Haye will be facing two time heavyweight champion John Ruiz on April 3rd at the M.E.N. Arena, Manchester, Lancashire. This will be a mandatory defense for Haye, so he has little choice but to fight Ruiz or else risk having his title stripped from him. However, the real test to see if Haye can back up his talk is to see whom he fights after the Ruiz bout, provided that Haye actually wins the fight. The way that Haye fought against Valuev, averaging 10 punches thrown per rounds, it’s not a foregone conclusion that Haye will beat Ruiz.

But if Haye does get by Ruiz, he needs to go after one of the Klitschko brothers next to ensure that he has a good chance of getting fights against both of them. Vitali, 38, likely won’t be fighting too much longer because of his advanced age and the possibilities of injuries that could cut strike at any time for him. Haye needs to go after him next.

There has been talk of Haye possibly fighting 45-year-old Bernard Hopkins. If Haye fights Hopkins, a light heavyweight, that won’t exactly go along with Haye’s tough talk of wanting to restore pride in the heavyweight division. Haye has only fought three times at heavyweight, beating Tomasz Bonin, Monte Barrett and Valuev. Based on the level of competition that Haye has faced thus far at heavyweight, he not only took the easy route to the heavyweight title, but he also took a fight against the weakest of champions.

Speaking about the Klitschko brothers, Haye says “They’re an angry pair of brothers with some issues outside the ring. They’ve both tried grabbing me on the safe side of the ropes, but offered me peanuts to fight them inside the ring. That makes no sense to me! They have the other belts and if they have any pride left they will have to fight me – it’s as simple as that.”

Haye feels that he will be able to get a much better deal in negotiating a contract with the Klitschko brothers now that he has the WBA title under his belt. However, Haye could end up fouling negotiations if he wants too much of a cut of the percentage of the profits.