By Sean McDaniel: WBA heavyweight champion David Haye’s April title defense against former World Boxing Association heavyweight champion Ruslan Chagaev (27-1, 17 KO’s) is very much in doubt because of the 32-year-old Chagaev’s past Hepatitis B problems. The British Boxing of Control are likely not going to permit Chagaev to enter the UK to fight Haye.

With Chagaev not being allowed to fight Haye in the UK, Haye will have to find another opponent to defend his title against and it’s going to have to be one of his contenders unless he can pay them to step aside so that he can go after WBC heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko. Adam Booth, the manager/trainer for Haye, talked about wanting to match Haye up with Vitali for a fight in May. This obviously can’t happen because of the television problems. It will have to take place on July 2nd or it will have to wait a little longer.

With Haye retiring in October of this year, he’s got to move quickly to get at least one big money fight against one of the Klitschkos before he retires. If he misses out on this fight, Haye will be retiring with a lot less money in his pocket.

Haye might have to fight Denis Boytsov or Alexander Povetkin next, and neither of those fights are particularly appealing. Boytsov has a hand problem and it might keep him out of action for a little while longer. And with Povetkin, it’s unclear if he’ll take the fight. If he does, it would be a dangerous bout for Haye because Povetkin is perhaps the 4th best fighter in the division right now. Some experts rank Tomasz Adamek above him, but I personally think Povetkin is a better heavyweight than Adamek due his better work rate and superior chin.