By Jim Dower: It’s reported that former WBA heavyweight champion Ruslan Chagaev is likely not going to be approved by the British Boxing Board of Control for the next opponent of WBA heavyweight champion David Haye (25-1, 23 KO’s). Instead, the 30-year-old Haye is going to face former 2004 Olympic heavyweight Gold Medalist Alexander Povetkin to negotiate a fight for May 21st. According to boxrec, Haye and Povetkin are already in successful negotiations.

For Haye fans, this is a better match-up for Haye than it would have been had he been forced to fight the southpaw Chagaev. Povetkin is slower, fights orthodox, less explosive and more of a plodder than Chagaev. Povetkin also hasn’t been all that active in the past couple of years due to injuries and seems to be regressing as a fighter rather than improving. Povetkin recently struggled badly to defeat Nicolai Firtha in December 2010, an average fighter at best. Haye matches up much better with Povetkin than he does with Chagaev. Povetkin is only 6’2″ 229, and is roughly the same size as Haye. Because of that, Haye wouldn’t have to be dealing with a huge heavyweight like he would if he were to be facing one of the Klitschko brothers.

Should Haye beat Povetkin, his options for fights are kind of limited. Haye wanted a fight with IBF/WBO heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko but that doesn’t seem possible without Haye extending his retirement to beyond this year. Haye has said he wouldn’t do that, and that he would definitely be retiring late this year when he turns 31. The problem is Wladimir is all booked up for 2011 with fights against Dereck Chisora and Tomasz Adamek. As such, the only chance for Haye to fight Wladimir is if Haye holds off on his retirement until 2012 after he faces Wladimir. Of course, if Haye is really interested in facing one of the Klitschko brothers, he can always face WBC heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko later on this year. However, Haye hasn’t been very eager/interested in facing Vitali for some reason. It’s a fight that’s there for him and one that will make him huge money, but Haye doesn’t seem to want that fight. It may be his only option before his retirement. Wladimir thinks Haye is afraid of Vitali, as do a lot of fans. It does make you wonder.