David Haye speaks exclusively to BoxRec News as Klitschko details are finally confirmed

David Haye has scotched suggestions that he has deliberately targeted Wladimir Klitschko in preference for avoiding his older brother Vitali because he perceives the former to be a soft touch. The heavyweight unification clash between WBA champion Haye and WBO and IBF title holder Wladimir has today been set for 2 July in Hamburg’s 58,000 capacity football stadium.

Speaking exclusively to BoxRec News, Haye denied that Wladimir Klitschko’s suspect chin (which has seen him floored 11 times in his career) was a prime factor in his perceived preference for pursuing Wladimir over WBC king Vitali.

“Wlad is the bigger fight period. He has more titles, he is younger, and is ranked by many as no.1 (in the heavyweight division). He has also made those homoerotic videos calling me out and he is the one who I set my sights on (fighting) many years ago,” claimed regular BoxRec forum reader Haye in typically bullish fashion.

The mouthwatering clash, arguably the biggest showdown the heavyweight division has witnessed since Lennox Lewis defeated Mike Tyson in 2002, finally appears to be going ahead, two years after Haye pulled out at late notice against Wladimir citing a back injury. Relations between the two camps were further strained when Haye subsequently pulled out of a verbal agreement to fight Vitali in September 2009, opting instead to take on then WBA champion Nikolay Valuev whom he subsequently outpointed two months later.

With the disdain between Haye and Klitschko appearing genuinely mutual, Haye reacted angrily when I put it to him that this animosity would not have escalated had he not ‘pissed the Klitschko brothers about’ and subsequently had the brass neck to accuse them of avoiding him.

“I like the fact they dislike me. Who, why and how these fights didn't happen before is now irrelevant. I could try and explain from my side how they have bitched out, but I can't be arsed. As soon as the referee counts to ten over Wlad's limp body, no one will ask why the fight took so long to make. All people will be concerned with is Wladimir's health! “ said Haye defiantly.

For Haye’s supporters, it will not have gone unnoticed that the WBA champion’s power and aggression is arguably the closest opponent in style that Wladimir has fought since South African Corrie Sanders annihilated him inside two rounds, eight years and 16 fights ago.

“I’m a similar size to Corrie, and aggressive like him, but I’m a completely different animal. I’ll be in shape for 12 (rounds) if it comes to that – Corrie never did seem able to go at a pace for the distance. However, like Corrie did, if I start landing regularly against Wladimir the fight will be brutally one sided,” Haye acknowledged.

In what promises to be an explosive encounter between two concussive punchers with questionable punch resistance, Haye may finally get to dispel lingering doubts about his own ability to hold a shot from a fully fledged heavyweight. “My plan is never to absorb punishment but I’m as confident as I’ve ever been that I can take what Wlad can dish out. They key question is whether he can take what The Hayemaker has in store for him?”

Haye will enter the most important fight of his career on the back of his farcical third round stoppage over a woefully gun shy Audley Harrison in the second defence of his WBA crown last November. Other than boosting Haye’s bank balance The ‘Battle of Britain’ (and I utter this term loosely) did nothing to enhance Haye’s reputation or provide him with some competitive action in readiness for taking on the Klitschkos.

“The Harrison fight was the biggest ever all-time British pay-per-view event. It sold out in record time and was a real fun fight to be involved in. Maybe someone like (Polish contender) Tomasz Adamek would have been a little more entertaining, however the fight would have been overlooked by the wider British public. With (then) three fights left before I retired, I decided that I wanted the biggest fights available. Outside of the Klitschkos, Harrison at that point represented the biggest and most high profile fight available to me. I have no regrets whatsoever!”

Former WBA, WBC and WBO cruiserweight king Haye has been a breath of fresh air since taking up permanent residence in the heavyweight division following his stoppage of Monte Barrett in November 2008. Openly critical of the declining quality amongst boxing’s ‘big men’, Haye has also been particularly scathing of the ‘boring’ and ‘safety-first’ hallmarks of both Klitschko brothers title reigns. If Haye does succeed in defeating first Wladimir and then Vitali, might the merits of his victories later be placed into context?

”I fucking hope not,” came the emphatic reply.