By James Slater – David Haye has said he is “done” with both Klitschko brothers right now. Due, he says, to bending over backwards in an attempt to appease Wladimir and get the fight with him made, Haye has lost all patience now that “Dr. Steel Hammer” has decided to fight Derek Chisora instead. Haye feels this “tune-up” fight on April 30th has in effect killed any possibility of Wladimir facing him on the only available TV date that was agreeable to both RTL and Sky Sports, July 2nd.
Haye says no way will Wladimir fight ANYONE as soon as Jul.2nd, not after having boxed at the end of April. And even though Team-Klitschko are insisting the unification clash is still on in their opinion (for July 2nd), Haye, in the press release you can read below, is talking of moving on and forgetting about BOTH Klitschkos..
Looking at getting his own next fight in May or June, the WBA champ who says he will retire in October, says he will be able to retire with his head held high, knowing he did his best to make “these fights.” But how will history remember Haye if he does hang up the gloves, never to return, without having fought at least one Klitschko? Another valid question today is, why can’t Haye fight WBC champ Vitali instead of Wladimir? Has Haye done his best to make this fight happen?
There is no doubt, many fans the world over will be hugely disappointed with Haye if he makes good with his promise to retire in October and if he does so having not fought a Klitschko. There is also no doubt, though, that Haye proved himself as one of the best cruiserweights in history. That, it seems, may be enough for Haye to feel content. But before he does retire in a little over nine months (if he in fact does, and we’ve had a good number of fighters promise to call it quits by a certain time only to not do so), who will Haye fight?
With potentially two or maybe even three more fights doable in the nine month timeframe, Haye could still add to his legacy (and certainly his bank balance) – even without a win over a Klitschko. It really will be a crying shame for heavyweight boxing if the three best big men on the planet continue to fight lesser opponents whilst “avoiding” each other, but this is what it’s starting to look like will be the case.
Wladimir will fight the untested (but brave and confident) Derek Chisora, Vitali will likely face his mandatory, Odlanier Solis (unless, by some “miracle” Haye and Vitali are able to arrange a fight, with Solis promised a shot at the winner), but who will Haye face?
Ruslan Chagaev is the WBA’s mandatory heavyweight challenger, but with the whole Hepatitis thing hanging over him, will the former WBA ruler be allowed to box in the UK? Will Haye want to travel to fight “The White Tyson?” Would fans even get excited about this fight if it did take place?
Haye has made his mark on the sport, in the cruiserweight division especially, and he has made his money. Two more “easy” fights against guys way less talented than the Klitschko brothers will probably happen for him, and then that could well be it. And Haye seems to be quite happy about this being the case.
Right now, it looks like Klitschko-Haye is destined to go the way Pacquiao-Mayweather looks destined to go: into oblivion.