By Jeff Miller: WBA heavyweight champion David Haye (25-1, 23 KO’s) is hoping and praying that IBF/WBO heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko (55-3, 49 KO’s) will go to war with him on July 2nd when they meet up for their long awaited unification bout at the Imtech stadium in Hamburg, Germany.

Although Haye says he wants Wladimir to slug with him because it will make for a more interesting fight for the fans to watch, it seems more likely the real reason why Haye wants Wladimir to trade with him because it gives Haye a much better chance of winning the fight. Wladimir usually boxes his opponents from the outside using a stiff jab and a lot of movement to avoid shots. He doesn’t look to mow down his opponents like he did earlier in his career when he would occasional get caught and taken out. Wladimir is much more clever and tends to stay away from running out of gas.

Haye said this to Sky Sports: “I think he’s going to go to war and that’s what we want…That makes for a more entertaining fight for the fans.”

Somehow I don’t buy that excuse from Haye. I think he needs and wants Wladimir to slug with him in this fight. With Haye barely beating the giant 7-foot Nikolay Valuev when he chose to box Haye, I think Haye recognizes he has to get Wladimir to leave himself open by slugging if he wants to have a reasonable chance of winning this fight. Haye is not much of a boxer and has to knock Wladimir out to win this fight. He’s not going to be able to do much confounding by circling the ring all night long like he did in the Valuev fight. Haye has to get Wladimir in a war or he loses this fight.