Warren: Haye pulled out because of Setanta turmoil

This is an article published by Frank Warren in his column in the UK tabloid The Sun: SETANTA has teetered on the brink of going bust this week - and it would be a major blow to sport and boxing if it went under. By last night, it was unclear whether or not the broadcaster would be saved. Whatever the situation, it's tough for the sport at the moment, with ITV pulling out of boxing later this year. A major fight that Setanta was supposed to be broadcasting was David Haye's IBF world heavyweight title challenge against Wladimir Klitschko in Germany on June 20. Last week, it was announced that Haye had a bad back and couldn't fight. Naturally there has been speculation about whether Setanta's financial problems were really behind it. Someone described it as the murky world of boxing, but it's not a problem with the sport, but rather Setanta's predicament. When Haye struck his deal with the Klitschko brothers to get the fight on, it was agreed that his purse would come from Setanta - and nowhere else. It has been rumoured that Haye asked for his sevenfigure payment to be made before he stepped in the ring, but Setanta refused. Interestingly, Haye's sparring partner David Price was quoted as saying: "I'll be honest, I came home on Monday, but the last time I saw David he was in great shape, he was fine, and he was raring to go. "I don't think anyone was more shocked than me to hear that the fight was off." Back injuries can flare up at any time and Haye says he has medical evidence to prove his case. Yet if money was his motive for pulling out of the fight, then maybe he should have taken a risk and faced Klitschko anyway. I'm sure a fresh television deal could have been thrashed out at short notice if Setanta had gone to the wall. Sometimes in boxing you have to roll the dice and if you really fancy your chances then you take a fight, come what may. That's even more the case when you are a promoter - which Haye now claims to be. Had Haye beaten Wladimir, a fight against his older brother Vitali would have been worth huge money. With Wladimir fighting Ruslan Chagaev next weekend, a fight against Vitali now seems to be Haye's only option. He certainly won't want to risk his chin in a 10-rounder. That's bad news for Haye because beating Vitali is a much taller order than facing Wladimir - and is likely to turn into a painful loss. Makes sense what Warren says above, although we all know hes a ****ing weasel if a fighter is not under his promotions, and he has had something against haye since he no showed at the enzo presser and then KO'd warrens man in the second. But considering the only money Haye was taking home from the Wlad fight was from setanta and with the turmoil they are in at the minute, it does make sense that he would pull out if he wasnt getting no pay cheque for the fight!