By William Mackay: Perhaps in a sign that they don’t feel that they would have much of a chance against the hulking steel-chinned WBC heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko (41-2, 38 KO’s), Adam Booth, the trainer/manager for World Boxing Association (WBA) heavyweight champion David Haye (25-1, 23 KO’s), says that Haye wants to fight Wladimir first and then Vitali. Speaking with Sky Sports News Ringside, Booth says “Let Wladimir go bash up Dereck Chisora on December 11th, and maybe Bernd [Bonte] and I can have a chat on December 12th.” Bonte, in turn, replied with “It’s not necessarily Wladimir. It couldn’t also be Vitali. Vitali is ready to go, with Vitali we can make a fight right away.” Booth then revealed that Haye doesn’t Vitali, he wants Wladimir, saying “I think David wants Wladimir because he called him a b**ch something, so I think David fancies that one a little bit.” I smell fear from Haye and Booth.

This seems to be a pretty clear sign that Haye and Booth don’t feel they have a chance against Vitali because, unlike Wladimir, Vitali can take a heck of a shot and keep coming. Haye wouldn’t be able to knock Vitali out with one of his pot shots or flurries and would likely end up getting chopped down like a tree once Vitali catches up to Haye. It would literally be a case of a big cat chasing a mouse around the ring and then tearing him apart once he cornered him. Haye did a good job against fellow Briti Audley Harrison last weekend, but then against Harrison didn’t throw any punches in the fight and Haye was able to win by default. Vitali will throwing punches, and Haye would be under constant fire. I can’t see it going beyond five rounds, and that’s with Haye running for his life.

It looks like Haye doesn’t want to mix it up with Vitali until the last fight of his career. The problem is Wladimir has the power, the size and the ability to make quick work of Haye just as easily as Vitali. Haye does have at least a chance at beating Wladimir if he can get inside on him and throw rabbit punches when Wladimir attempts to clinch him. Wladimir will have to keep his distance at all times because Haye likes to throw flurries when his opponent tries to clinch.

As for Booth and Haye’s preference to fighting Wladimir first, it’s not really up to them to decide. It’s up to the Klitschkos. If they want Vitali to fight Haye first, then he’s going to have to decide whether he wants the fight bad enough to take on Vitali. Haye said many times that it doesn’t matter which Klitschko he fights first, but now when push comes to shove, it looks like it does matter to him. Like I said, I smell fear from Haye and Booth.