David Haye is happy to play the waiting game in order to land a shot at heavyweight rival Vitali Klitschko next year.
Haye will wait as long as it takes to secure fight
David Haye is happy to play the waiting game in order to land a shot at heavyweight rival Vitali Klitschko next year.
Haye, 31, is technically retired having lost his last fight, and with it his WBA heavyweight title, to Klitschko's brother Wladimir in July.
However, the Briton has made no secret of the fact that he would be ready to step back into the ring if he was able to secure a showdown with either of the Klitschko brothers and has confirmed that he is already in talks with Vitali and his camp.
News of the WBC champion's fight with Haye's fellow Briton Chisora, confirmed on Monday night by German broadcaster RTL, appears to muddy the water further, but Haye is prepared to bide his time to land what he sees as a shot at redemption.
"When I retired I said the only chance I'd come out of retirement was if there was a potential fight with Vitali or Wladimir Klitschko," he told
Sky Sports News.
Summer of 2012
"We're talking to Vitali, he's got another fight (with Chisora) scheduled for February, March so if there is a likely fight between myself and Vitali it won't be until the summer (of 2012).
"If it's meant to be, it will be. I believe that as long as I stay healthy and train hard then if the fight for whatever reason does come about then I'll be in the best possible shape and I will take his title."
Haye added in
The Sun: "I can wait as long as it takes. He's 40 at the moment, I've just turned 31. If he was to leave it five years that's fine by me.
"Technically I would have lied to my fans about retiring if I fight again.
"But those same fans obviously wouldn't ideally want me to finish on a loss. They would want me to finish by knocking out either Wladimir or Vitali Klitschko.
"I'm sure they'll forgive me if I get that fight with Vitali and knock him out like I plan to do."
