Haye all set for Wembley showdown
DAVID HAYE is setting his sights on a huge Wembley showdown with one of the Klitschko brothers next summer in a fight already being billed as the biggest in heavyweight history.
Britain’s new heavyweight king is in talks with Wembley chiefs over a possible unification bout with champions Vitali or Wladimir after winning the WBA title from Russian giant Nikolai Valuev on Saturday night.
With gate receipts from a sell-out 100,000 Wembley crowd and his percentage of pay-per-view TV subscriptions, the fight could earn the 29-year-old as much as £20m.
And Haye’s trainer Adam Booth has revealed a deal to stage the potential super-fight is already on the cards. “Wembley have already been on to me,” Booth said. “Haye against a Klitschko, Wladimir or Vitali, would be one of the biggest fights in heavyweight history.”
Haye could yet, however, be lured by the bright lights of Las Vegas with his American promoter, Richard Schaefer, admitting that contact has been made with US broadcaster HBO and mega-fight venue, the MGM Grand.
“These are all signs that David will be huge,” Schaefer said. “The world will embrace David because of his skills and because of his charisma. The American fight fans have waited for so long to get that kind of heavyweight champion again.”
First, however, the Hayemaker must focus his attentions on American John Ruiz, who he is contractually obliged to fight in a first defence of his title in the new year. The O2 Arena is believed to be a leading venue in hosting the fight, although Haye is keen on staging the event at The New Den, home of his beloved Millwall FC.
Either way, Haye is confident of seeing off former WBA champion Ruiz and is setting his sights beyond. “I don’t feel I would struggle with him in any way,” Haye said. “He’s pretty much the same size as me and I think I’d just be way too fast and knock him out.”