By William Mackay: Former WBA heavyweight champion David Haye (25-2, 23 KO’s) turns 31 this Thursday and he plans on making his decision as to whether or not he’ll retire or continue on with his boxing career.

Haye has been waiting for word from WBC heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko if he’ll fight him next or not, but it looks like Vitali is enjoying himself letting Haye suffer in waiting for his decision.

Speaking with the mirror.co.uk, Adam Booth, the trainer/manager for Haye said “It’s one thing him [Vitali] saying he wants to fight David and another thing them actually offering something. The status quo is unchanged. Next Thursday is when David will make his decision. That’s his birthday and he said he would retire when he was 30.”

Booth prefers that Haye retire, but given the huge amount of cash Haye will get if he faces Vitali in a mega fight, Haye has been dragging his feet about ending his career on his 31st birthday like he had previously promised he would do. Haye was beaten by IBF/WBO heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko last July by a 12 round unanimous decision and looked bad in that fight.

Haye was quick to come up with an excuse for why he lost, blaming it on a broken right baby toe that he came into the fight with. Haye didn’t want to postpone the fight, so he took part in it and was never really able to mount much of an offense until the 12th round when he clipped Wladimir with a big right hand that briefly caused Wladimir to hold on to Haye.

Haye and Booth want Vitali to speak up and say the fight is on, but Vitali is obviously having fun with all this and is going to let it drag out for a little while longer. Haye and Booth need to realize what Vitali is doing and stay calm. Vitali obviously wants this fight very badly, as it would be the biggest fight of his career next to his bout with Lennox Lewis in 2003.

Vitali defeated Tomasz Admaek last month by a 10th round TKO in Poland, and is still enjoying himself after an easy fight. Haye needs to put a sock in it and relax. Vitali wants the fight, there’s no question about. Haye might end up sabotaging a good retirement payday by walking away from the sport too soon. He’s got to realize there’s a game being played here by Vitali and stay patient until Vitali gets tired of playing it.