By Dave Lahr: You knew it was too good to true about the rumors of WBC heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko retiring in one or two fights, which had been circulating around the internet earlier today from a Ukrainian television station.

As it turns out, Vitali doesn’t have any plans at all in retiring anytime soon and is planning a couple of fights in 2012 against still to be determined opposition. I never for a second believed any of this jive about Vitali retiring. Even my beautiful wife thought it was hogwash, and said it probably just Vitali messing around.

I’d like to see Vitali face former WBA heavyweight champion David Haye. Or should I say I’d like to see Vitali man up and fight Haye, because I think big Vitali is running scared of Haye.

This is a bad style match-up for Vitali and I think he realizes that and prefers to go after the European level opposition he’s been mostly fighting since he picked up the World Boxing Council belt in 2008.

Haye has too much speed, power and defensive skills for Vitali. And without any injuries slowing him down like in his last fight against Vitali’s brother Wladimir Klitschko, Haye can dominate a big and slow heavyweight like Vitali.

This would be like Haye fighting Nikolay Valuev all over again, except it would be an easier fight for Haye this time because he’s a much better heavyweight now than when he fought Valuev in 2009. But did you notice that Vitali has completely shut up about wanting to fight Haye? Did you notice that? I think big Vitali is afraid. I guess he needs to retire if he doesn’t have the nerve.