By Mark Vester
The Klitschko brothers and their manager Bernd Bönte are still outraged with the antics of David Haye. As many know by now, Haye withdrew at the last minute from what appeared to be a done deal to fight WBC champion Vitali Klitschko on September 19. Haye made a backdoor deal to face WBA champion Nikolai Valuev on November 7.
The big reason for Haye's withdrawal, according to Haye, is the options that would have forced him into two more bouts with both Klitschko brothers. But, these are the same exact options and the same contract, more or less, that Haye signed for his deal to fight younger brother Wladimir Klitschko back in June. Haye withdrew from the Wladimir fight with a back injury but many doubt the injury story and feel Haye was trying to buy time because Setanta Sports was going under. The injury story seems more suspect with the latest events.
Bönte was very surprised and very angry. He found out through media reports because Haye cut off communications with them on Tuesday and left them wondering as to the whereabouts of the British fighter. Bönte doesn't buy anything that Haye says. He says the fighter likely withdrew because of financial fears and the lack of drawing power.
“The cancellation was very surprising as we got informed about it through the media," Bönte said to The Times Online. "Haye’s manager Adam Booth did not even have the courage to give me a call personally and tell me about their decision – for me a sign of his inexistent class.
"The background of the pull-out are definitely the bad pay-per-view-TV figures of BSkyB in England. Haye and his manager seem to have realised all of a sudden, that we have a global economic depression and English boxing fans are not that easily willing to pay £15 for a bout. All the excuses of adhesion contracts are complete rubbish as Haye had already signed the same contract for the fight against Wladimir in June, which also contained a usual rematch clause and a pure Klitschko option. And for that fight he also pulled out.
"Vitali and myself attended Haye’s last fight against Monte Barrett at the O2 Arena in London. There were possibly 6,000 fans in a 20,000-seat arena. The guy is not a big draw in England at all. We were always surprised that he expected to get £2.7 million out of the English pay-per-view sales for a fight against Vitali or Wladimir."
Wladimir also took aim at Haye. He doesn't believe the stories either. Wladimir says Haye is all talk and doesn't back up anything that he spews.
"David always had a big mouth and tried to offend us with ridiculous self-made T-shirts. But when it comes up to step into the ring and show what he’s got, he runs away. He even admits that fighting Valuev is the easier way. For me Haye is a little, inexperienced kid who is afraid of his own courage. Doubtless, my brother would have knocked him out within the first four rounds," Wladimir said.
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