Thursday, September 2, 2010

David Haye is already eyeing up a “mega fight” with one of the Klitschko brothers after stunning Russian colossus Nikolai Valuev to take the WBA heavyweight crown.

Haye became Britain’s first heavyweight champion since Lennox Lewis retired in 2003 with a majority points decision over the 7ft 2in Valuev in Nuremberg.

The 29-year-old Londoner now has to face John Ruiz in a mandatory clash, while Vitali Klitschko, currently the WBC champion, is set to fight American Kevin Johnson on December 12 in Berne.

But Haye is already looking beyond Ruiz and has targeted either IBF and WBO champion Wladimir Klitschko or his big brother.

“Anyone who has a belt is in my sights now - definitely the Klitschkos,” said Haye, who had secured fights with both Ukrainian brothers last summer only for the match-ups to fall through.

“The Klitschkos tried to lock me down in a crazy contract.

I am free now to fight who I want,” added Haye after he’d taken Valuev the full 12 rounds, using his superior speed to out-box the big Russian. And both Haye and Vitali have said they want a winner-takes-all unification clash next year.

“Let’s bring it on and make it happen,” added Haye. “I have got to get John Ruiz out of the way and then we can get a mega showdown next year.”
And Vitali immediately said he would fight Haye “at any time and knock him out”.

“Congratulations (to Haye). It was a good performance, a good points win. It was very close,” said the Ukrainian of Haye’s victory.

“It is a good fight for the future, maybe. I am ready to fight anyone in the world. I am ready to show to everyone I am the strongest.”

Haye’s incredible win was even more impressive after revealing he had damaged his right hand early in the fight.

“I damaged my right early in the fight, I think it was the second round, he has a very hard head, it was like punching a brick wall,” said Haye before going describing how incredible he felt to have won.

“It’s a bit surreal. When you strive for something your whole life, what do you do?” he said. “Some people said I was crazy to fight this guy, but I proved the Hayemaker can turn it on when he wants to.

“I think I can clean up in this division and there is plenty more to come.”

Valuev, 36, admitted he had been shocked by Haye’s performance.

“The main thing which went wrong was the pace,” said the Russian. “It was like a marathon for me and I wasn’t prepared to run so much like you would in a world championships.”

But boxing promoter Frank Warren doesn’t rate Valuev and believes Haye’s world champion credentials can only be judged when he gets his wish to face one of the Klitschko brothers.

“Nobody can tell me Valuev is a quality heavyweight. He is not even an average heavyweight,” said Warren.

“It is when you start talking about the Klitschkos, they are totally different fights.

“They are guys who can box and throw punches.

That is when you will see whether Haye can do it at that level. Beating Valuev is not the yardstick.”