By John F. McKenna (McJack)
Despite retiring upon his 31st birthday last October 13th former WBA heavyweight champion David Haye (25-2, 23 KO’s) believes that he will ultimately be the heavyweight champion again.
Haye relinquished his WBA belt to WBA, IBF, IBO, and Ring heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko (56-3, 49 KO’s) last July in Germany when he lost a one sided unanimous decision to Wladimir. “The Hayemaker” blamed his sub par performance in that fight on an injured toe.
Wladimir indicted after defeating Haye that he had no interest in fighting him again. His brother WBC heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko (43-2, 40 KO’s) however has expressed a keen desire to fight Haye. Vitali is still bristling over some of the comments David made in the lead up to his bout with Wladimir. “Dr. Ironfist” took some of Haye’s trash talking comments personally.
Haye was quoted by BBC Sport saying:
“My people are speaking loosely with Vitali’s people and they have shown a keen interest in a potential fight.
“I’m going to stay in shape if that call comes, and if it does come I’ll be the heavyweight champion again. I’ve always trained to stay in shape and I train every day. If there’s a fight that pops up against Vitali or Wladimir, I’ll be in shape and ready to go to war and win back my old titles.
“It’s down to Vitali. He seems very keen to knock me out. Not only to fight me, but do what his brother Wladimir couldn’t do and put me on the canvas. It depends on how much he wants to put me on the canvas.”
Haye won the WBA title by defeating Nikolai Valuev back in November of 2009. Haye successfully defended his title by defeating John Ruiz and Audley Harrison. Haye formerly held the WBA/IBF/WBO and The Ring cruiserweight title belts. He moved up to heavyweight in November 2008 after finding it increasingly difficult to make the weight at cruiserweight.
Vitali Klitschko has openly acknowledged that while he was happy his brother Wladimir had defeated Haye, he would like the opportunity to “send him to the floor.” He told Wladimir after his fight with Haye in July that he should have knocked him out.
Talks have been ongoing between the Haye and Klitschko camps for weeks but Vitali indicted a few days ago that a deal is not close to being made.
