By Sean McDaniel: World Boxing Association (WBA) heavyweight champion David Haye (25-1, 23 KO’s) says he’s 85% sure he’ll be fighting IBF/WBO heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko (55-3, 49 KO’s) next, perhaps in April or May according to news from Sky Sports. Haye is trying to negotiate a fight with Wladimir Klitschko for early 2011 so that Haye can make his October 2011 retirement deadline. He wants to fight both Klitschko brothers by that time and unify all of the heavyweight titles, not just three of the four. He wants all four before he retires.
In an Sky Sports interview, Haye said “From my point of view, we’ve done everything possible to make the fight happen. It’s just whatever they [the Klitschko brothers] want to do. I’m going to close my eyes. My Christmas wish is to get Wladimir to sign on the dotted line. There’s some unification bouts out there not just for me but for Carl [Froch] and Amir [Khan]. We can potentially have three unified champions in Britain. I don’t remember that ever happening before.”
The chances of Haye, Khan and Froch all unifying titles are pretty slim. Haye won’t be favored in a fight against Wladimir, and Froch will very likely get beaten by someone in the Super Six at some point. Khan also will likely get beaten if he faces the Devon Alexander vs. Timothy Bradley winner. Khan was almost beaten in his last fight against Maidana. Bradley and Alexander are a lot faster than Maidana, and if they get Khan hurt, they’ll have the speed and stamina to finish him off.
Haye, still speaking about Wladimir, said “It’s the fight everyone wants to see. Fingers crossed, we can do it in April or May. I know he’s got injuries, so I’ll give him time to get over it if he needs it. Let’s get the fight signed and lets get it on. We haven’t got to the point where we’ve talked venues. If it generates more money [to have it take place in Germany] than in generates here [in England], who am I to say no. You got two fighters getting 50-50 split. It’s only fair to go wherever it generates the most money. But I believe it will generate more money in the UK.”
Haye is right about the fight making more money in the UK. The trick is to convince Wladimir to take the fight in that venue, because he may be uncomfortable fighting in front of what could be as many as 90,000 fans. He would be greatly out-numbered in terms of fans and it might put him off.
Haye continues “I want one, ideally two, Klitschko victories before I retire. I think that will set me up as one of the best British heavyweights ever. Instinctively, 85% [sure that he’ll fight Wladimir] the way things are going at the moment. We’ve done everything humanly possible for this to happen. It’s just a matter of whether they want it.”
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