by James Slater – Though he has a fight to take care of first – against the talented and hungry Eddie Chambers tomorrow – Ring magazine, IBF and WBO heavyweight king Wladimir Klitschko has one fighter on his mind above all others; WBA champ David Haye.
Angered at not having yet had the chance to punish Haye for all the things the Londoner has had to say about Wladimir and his brother, “Dr Steel Hammer” has told Star Sport how he and his brother have made an agreement about which one of them will face “The Hayemaker.” Though both giants from Ukraine want so much to make Haye pay for his insults, it seems the younger of the two brothers has convinced his older sibling to allow him to take Haye on..
However, Wladimir is somewhat concerned that Haye’s next opponent, John Ruiz, may beat him before he gets the chance!
“There is one title that doesn’t belong to a Klitschko and Haye has that,” Wladimir told Star Sport. “My brother cares about winning the titles, but I care more about David Haye than belts. I told Vitali I’ll fight Haye and if he cares about having belts at his house I’ll give Haye’s to him afterwards. I really care about fighting Haye.
“I’d prefer to fight him in a football stadium but I’d even face him in a car park. Haye bitched out from fighting me and [he] bitched out from Vitali. I just hope Haye doesn’t get hit on his glass chin. As much as I don’t like him, I don’t want him beaten by [John] Ruiz before I get there.”
Reportedly, Wladimir may well be in attendance in Manchester for the Haye-Ruiz clash on April 3rd. If he is, and if Haye wins, a confrontation of some kind could take place between the two big men.
Wladimir really has allowed Haye to get firmly under his skin, that much is clear, but both men must win their upcoming bouts before they can even think about a big unification battle. And could it be that Wladimir is somewhat overlooking this Saturday’s challenger, “Fast” Eddie Chambers, so preoccupied as he seemingly is with the idea of beating up on Haye? It’s possible.
Having said that, Klitschko has not appeared to cut any corners in training for tomorrow’s fight, tipping-in as he has a few hours ago at a svelte and ready 244-pounds. Chambers also looked great on the scales, weighing-in as he did at a fit and slim 209. Wladimir has also shown Chambers respect by saying the Philly boxer would beat any heavyweight out there, he and his brother aside.
“He’d beat any heavyweight apart from me and my brother,” Wladimir said of Chambers. “I am 100-percent certain that Chambers would beat Haye if they fought.”
But is Chambers, who has promised Klitschko a “long night,” capable of going one better than that and upsetting the defending champion in approx 30 hours time?
Something tells me we will see an excellent fight on Saturday night, and an upset victory for the challenger cannot be written off at all.