Bring on the Klitschkos!

Ruiz first, but Hayemaker wants Wlad or Vitali showdown

Last updated: 8th November 2009

Haye: wants the Klitschkos

Anyone who has a belt is in my sights now - definitely the Klitschkos. The Klitschkos tried to lock me down in a crazy contract. I am free now to fight who I want to.

David Haye
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Bring on the Klitschkos!

That was the immediate message from David Haye as he wallowed in the glory of his world heavyweight title win over Nikolai Valuev.

The Londoner out-pointed the giant Russian after a cat-and-mouse contest to take the WBA belt and become Britain's first heavyweight world champion since Lennox Lewis six years ago.

His mandatory challenger is former world champion John Ruiz, who won on the Nuremberg undercard, but Haye instantly set his sights on either Wladimir (WBO and IBF champion) or Vitali Klitschko (WBC).

"I don't think Ruiz is the most entertaining," he said. "He has won the world title before and you don't do that by being a bad fighter. But I will be way too fast, I will knock him out."

"Anyone who has a belt is in my sights now - definitely the Klitschkos. The Klitschkos tried to lock me down in a crazy contract. I am free now to fight who I want to."

Haye angered both brothers by sporting the infamous 'severed head' T-shirt before his proposed fight with Wladimir fell through.

The pair will never meet in the ring and have told Haye he will never fight either of them, but he now has the all-important belt to bargain with.

And it is his intention to do what Lewis did and unify the heavyweight division

Athlete

"Some people said I was crazy to fight this guy, but I proved the Hayemaker can turn it on when he wants to," he said.

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

Haye will again be conceding size and weight if he does meet either of the Klitschkos but insists his victory over Valuev has heralded a new era for heavyweight boxing.

He believes his speed and agility were the key to out-boxing the seven-foot giant and is confident it will be enough to take on the other top fighters in the division.

"The key was speed," he said. "People don't realise I am very fast, I have powerful punches. It was my speed and power.

"I am an athlete and if I wasn't boxing I would be playing football or rugby. Being a good athlete means you can put on good performances like that. My athleticism made the difference."

Haye though, will first have to repair the damage done to his right hand in Nuremberg.

He says he broke it, hitting Valuev on the head, in the second round and was forced to fight the rest of the night without his trademark Hayemaker to call on.