By William Mackay: WBA heavyweight champion David Haye 25-1, 23 KO’s) desires a fight with IBF/WBO heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko (55-3, 49 KO’s), and sees himself a being too fast for the 6’6″ 245 pound Wladimir to handle. Haye doesn’t feel that Wladimir would even be a difficult fight, saying in an article at the Manchester Evening News, “He’s never fought anyone with my speed or power. All I’ve got to do is clip him on the side of the head and he will have the same reaction as Audley Harrison. Nobody likes getting hit with the speed I bring to the table.”

You notice how Haye fails to mention Vitali Klitschko? Well, it looks like Haye doesn’t have any interest in fighting him, even thought that’s the Klitschko brother that’s being offered to him by Klitschko manager Bernd Boente. Haye and Booth want Wladimir, obviously thinking they have a chance against him but not Vitali. As far as clipping Wladimir on the side of the head goes as Haye says, I think Haye probably means clipping Wladimir on the back of the head, because I’ve seen a lot of rabbit shots from Haye in his fights with Monte Barrett, John Ruiz and even in the short fight with Harrison. When Haye gets in close, he’s dangerous with rabbit punches. That’s really only thing that Wladimir has to worry about with Haye.

The British heavyweight doesn’t have the reach to land his shots from the outside, and if he telegraphs one of his big bombs from the outside, he’ll likely miss or get countered with a left hook from Wladimir. That kind of amateurish punch works against smaller and less talented heavyweights, but not against a big skilled heavyweight like Wladimir. I do agree that Haye would have a chance at beating Wladimir, but only with the rabbit shots while in close. Other than landing rabbit punches while in a clinch, I don’t give Haye any chance at beating Wladimir.

Haye says “He can’t beat me, he’s not quick enough to beat me. He can call me what he wants to call me, but when the fight happens and once I’ve knocked him out, everything said before will be academic. I will be the undisputed champion.”

I suppose then Haye would immediately retire with the three belts rather than risking his hide against Vitali in trying to capture a 4th title. That’s my guess of what Haye would do. That’s what he did when he was the WBA/WBC/WBO cruiserweight champion. He didn’t stick around to try and capture the IBF title against Steve Cunningham, who was probably the best cruiserweight champion at the time. But I can’t see Haye beating Wladimir without rabbit punches. This is why I don’t think the fight should take place in the UK. If Haye fights there, he’ll have a good chance of getting away fouls, in my view, more than if it takes place in the United States or Germany.