By Rick Reeno
After what appeared to be a done deal, boxing fans were stunned when David Haye announced on Wednesday that he declined a fight with Vitali Klitschko, and instead agreed to face WBA champion Nikolai Valuev. Klitschko-Haye was set down for September 12 in Frankfurt, Germany. The television deals were in place. A stadium that seats 55,000 fans was secured. Haye's date with Valuev is said to be November 7 in Germany.
As early as Tuesday, Klitschko's adviser Shelly Finkel was under the impression that a deal was in place and everything was ready to push through. Then all of a sudden - David Haye and his team vanished without a word. Finkel was later notified by letter that Haye was not going to fight Klitschko. Very little information as to why was provided.
Finkel told BoxingScene.com that a third-party would later advise him that Haye was in talks for a fight with Valuev. Prior to receiving that information, Finkel and Klitschko were in the dark on the exact status of Haye.
"We had a letter from his lawyer yesterday, all the points were pretty much agreed to. There were some technical things to be worked out with Sky TV and the German network. Then we couldn't get them on the phone. If he thinks Valuev is an easier fight or a better deal, then that's his purgative - but be a man and don't just disappear and avoid everyone," Finkel told BoxingScene.
Haye complained to British reporters that K2, the promotional company owned by the Klitschko brothers, was trying to lock him up for several fights. He said the deal being presented would have contractually trapped him for a quite some time and given K2 the authority to make decisions on his opponents.
Finkel denied Haye's claims when speaking to BoxingScene. Haye would have been bound to two more fights at the most, and the opponents would have been Vitali and Wladimir Klitschko. Haye claims the deal with Valuev would leave him in the clear once the fight was finished. Finkel doesn't believe that. Valuev is co-promoted by Don King and Sauerland Event. Everyone has a hard time believing that Valuev's promotional team made a deal without demanding future options on Haye.
At the end of the day for Haye, should he beat Valuev, he would have to come back to the table with the Klitschkos. There must be something that I've missed. The Klitschkos are the biggest money machines at the weight. If Haye loses to Valuev, he loses the chance to fight those money machines for good. Considering the way the negotiations were handled for this fight, I wouldn't be surprised if the Klitschkos refused to have any future dealings with Haye.
"That's not true [regarding Haye's K2 contract claims]. He would have had a rematch with Vitali or a fight with Wladimir. I don't think he'll be free after that [Valuev] fight," Finkel said. "If he's lucky to beat Valuev, who else is there to fight?"
