By William Mackay: IBF/WBO heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko (54-3, 48 KO’s) voiced his concerns about World Boxing Association heavyweight champion David Haye’s (24-1, 22 KO’s) next bout against 38-year-old Audley Harrison (27-4, 20 KO’s) on eastsideboxing.com yesterday in program called On the Ropes Boxing Radio Episode 88. Klitschko, 34, said “I’m worried that Haye will get knocked out by Harrison, and then we’ll never get to see Haye fight one of the Klitschko brothers.” Wladimir has a right to be worried, because with Haye’s weak chin, lack of experience at heavyweight and lengthy time off since his last fight against 38-year-old John Ruiz, Harrison might take his title by knocking him cold.

Harrison is clearly more dangerous than the heavyweights that Haye has been fighting since moving up in weight to the heavyweight division in 2008. Haye has been matched against 38-year-old Monte Barrett, 36-year-old Nikolay Valuev and 38-year-old John Ruiz. In picking 38-year-old Harrison to fight, Haye is continuing with pattern of targeting the older heavyweights in the division. This obviously makes things easier for Haye in trying to hold onto his WBA title for as long possible before someone comes along and knocks him out and takes it from him.

However, Harrison has the power to wreck Haye’s plans of keeping his title for as long as possible. Harrison can also mess up any chances for a future big money fight between Haye and the Klitschko brothers. It’s unclear right now whether Haye ever intends on fighting any of the Klitschkos, so this may not really have any bearing if all Haye wants to do is milk his title against a bunch of old guys. Haye, with his weak chin, probably would be better off biting the bullet and fighting one of the Klitschko brothers and getting a huge payday in a likely knockout loss.

If Haye decides not to fight then Klitschko brothers and just focus on milking his WBA title, he’s still likely going to be knockout out as soon as he fights someone halfway decent like Odlanier Solis, Alexander Povetkin or Denis Boytsov. I’d even give Tomasz Adamek a fair chance of knocking Haye out, although Adamek seems more interested in fighting the Klitschko brothers rather than Haye for some reason. But Haye will have problems once he gets past the 38-year-old Harrison and has to take on a younger fighter that can punch.

However, Haye may not even get past Harrison if the former Olympian fights with a sense of urgency and purpose. If Harrison comes out throwing leather like he did in his win in the Prizefighter tournament, he may very well knock Haye out in the 1st round. Harrison has that kind of power in his left hand and he is a southpaw, and that makes him an ever tougher opponent for the tender chinned Haye. Harrison has one punch knockout power in his left hand, whether he throws it as an uppercut, overhand or as a hook. Harrison can deliver a knockout from a variety of punch angles. Haye might be wishing he had gone ahead and fought one of the Klitschko brothers if Harrison plants him on the canvas for the ten count.