Just yesterday, reports were circling that a fight between David Haye and Wladimir Klitschko was close to getting done. Not so fast. That fight has already been canned, and instead, Wlad will be facing Dereck Chisora on April 30th. The Klitschko vs. Chisora contest had been scheduled for December, before Klitschko had to withdraw at the last moment with an injury suffered in training camp. Now it’s back on, and Klitschko-Haye is back on the shelf.
Update 4:45 pm: Klitschko vs. Chisora is still on for April 30th, but it looks like July 2nd is being held for a match between Haye and Wladimir. Whether or not this actually comes off, of course, is anybody’s guess. That’s six long months, and an interim match, to screw things up.
This is a surprising turn of events for several reasons. First, the 50-50 offer made by Haye seemed to have been accepted by the Klitschkos. Apparently the snag wasn’t in the money, but in the scheduling and the potential dates. But with an unlimited window of opportunity, not getting together on a date seems like a lousy excuse. They had an entire calendar year to choose from, with no fights scheduled for either man, and few television dates already locked in to clog up the workings.
The move is also surprising, because the Klitschko vs. Chisora fight was widely panned the first time it was scheduled. It having been canceled was no loss to the boxing community, as even Chisora backers generally feltthat he was ill-prepared and undeserving of a title shot at this stage in his career. To have the fight canceled, and now rescheduled, and occupying well over six months of the best heavyweight’s schedule is a real shame.
Now, the question will be if Haye and Vitali Klitschko can come to some kind of agreement. Haye said he would fight either man, and the Klitschkos said that Haye could choose which one, signaling they were both willing as well. Wladimir was apparently option #1, but there is no good reason that Haye vs. V. Klitschko shouldn’t get made even with Wlad’s new scheduling. The new mandatory, Odlanier Solis, would surely step aside briefly for a guaranteed shot at the winner and a bigger share of the purse.
If Haye won against Vitali, he’d still have to deal with the other brother, and if Haye loses, then the Klitschkos would say he never would have beaten either man. Haye clearly preferred the less aggressive, and potentially weak-chinned Wladimir, but the fight against Vitali is the next biggest thing out there, by massive leaps and bounds, and it’s a fight that now needs to happen.
Scheduling, dates, money-splits and Odlanier Solis be damned, would someone please make sure that David Haye vs a Klitschko, any Klitschko, happens before the summer?
