By William Mackay: Responding to the claims made yesterday from WBC heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko’s manager Bernd Boente that former WBA heavyweight champion David Haye turned down a fight against Vitali in order to fight Dereck Chisora instead, Haye blasted back today, saying that he’s not turned down a fight with Vitali. In fact, Haye still is hoping to fight Vitali in September.

Haye said this on his site hayemaker.com “It makes absolutely no sense for me to turn down a fight I desperately want. Remember, the whole idea behind going ahead with this Chisora fight was that a victory may then lead to a fight with Vitali Klitschko. That was my plan, my reason for returning to the ring. I want to fight on July 14 and then again in September, and have been telling people this for months now.”

It doesn’t make sense it all that Haye would turn down a fight against Vitali, especially given the urgency that Haye showed in coming to Vitali’s post fight press conference last February to try and get a fight with him. Haye was told by Boente at the time that he had missed his chance, and that he should fight Chisora for the right to fight Vitali. Moments later, Haye did indeed fight Chisora, albeit outside of the ring on the floor after landing a nice right hand to the head when confronted by Chisora. However, Haye is now facing Chisora because he couldn’t get the fight with Vitali, yet he’s being told by Boente that he passed up a fight against Vitali. I just doesn’t make sense, and it almost seems as if Boente is making an excuse not to make a fight between Vitali and Haye.

Haye’s manager/trainer Adam Booth said “Maybe K2 realized during Vitali’s fight with Chisora in February that their precious champion was drastically slowing down and didn’t fancy going up against anyone too quick in the future. Whatever their reasoning, if Herr Boente is happy to spin the lines he feeds people, good for him.”

You could understand why Boente might not be too interested in making the fight between Haye and Vitali now, because Vitali looked old and slow in beating Chisora by a 12 round decision last February. Against a much quicker Haye, it could be a really tough fight for Vitali because he would have problems landing his right hand against Haye due to his speed. Vitali wouldn’t be able to dominate Haye with his left hand, and he could end getting staggered and knocked out in this fight. It’s not a good match-up for Vitali no matter how you look it.