Haye: “I’ll have a few treats in store for them” [the Klitschko brothers]

By William Mackay: If WBA heavyweight champion David Haye (24-1, 22 KO’s) is as good as he talks, the Klitschko brothers are as good as finished when they do finally meet up with the 29-year-old loud talking British heavyweight. Haye says in article at Boxrec, “I’ll have a few treats in store for them [the Klitschko brothers]. I like all the verbals and when my opponent says he will knock me out. It will be a genuine grudge match, they despise me. I am a proper wind up merchant.” I suppose the object is not to respond to Haye criticism. That doesn’t seem to work, unfortunately.

Wladimir Klitschko tried that path when he was briefly on course to fight Haye last year in June, and Wladimir came off the worst for not firing back at Haye. The only way for the Klitschko brothers to beat Haye is to keep the pressure up and try to line up a fight with him to beat him once and for all.

That may prove to be a difficult task, however, because now that Haye has the World Boxing Association heavyweight title in his possession and has defended it one time with a 9th round knockout win over John Ruiz last weekend, Haye is going to be wanting to get a better purse split than what was offered to him last time by the Klitschko brothers. Not only that. Haye also wants the future Haye-Klitschko fight to take place in the UK, not Germany and not the United States.

The Klitschko brothers will likely want the fight to take place in Germany, where both of them are huge stars and very well liked by the German boxing public. Haye says “I don’t want to fight anywhere else. I want to fight a Wembley and wants one of the Klitschko’s in the UK.” That may prove a hard sell for the Klitschko brothers.

While Haye may have been a cruiserweight champion briefly while fighting in the cruiserweight division, he’s only been the WBA heavyweight champion for four months and hasn’t really faced anyone that you could consider to be a dangerous fighter since moving up to the heavyweight division. Haye is an exciting fighter with his knockout power and fast hand speed, but he lacks the experience and hasn’t been a champion long enough for him to dictate where the fight will take place.

Haye and his manager/trainer Adam Booth are going to take the bout that makes brings in the biggest payday next for Haye. Apparently, Haye doesn’t have to fight a rematch with Nikolay Valuev next. However, Haye could still end up fighting Valuev next because Haye will be able to make a good payday against the 7-foot Russian and not face the risk of being knocked out by one of the Klitschko brothers.

It makes a lot of sense, although it would kind of run against what Haye has been saying about him wanting to fight the best opponent. But you can’t blame Haye if he does try to milk his WBA title before facing Wladimir Klitschko and what will likely be another stoppage loss for Haye.