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Now aged 29, Haye says he intends to stick to a promise he made to himself many years ago that he would not box beyond the age of 30 and that means he has his eyes on blockbuster fights only from here on.
That does not, he says, include an all-British showdown with former Olympic champion Audley Harrison, despite many reports to the contrary.
"I haven't talked to Audley's team, to be honest. I've read it in numerous newspapers but I don't take any notice of that.
"I looked on one of the boxing websites the other day and they even had a date for the fight. That made me laugh.
"At the moment, we're talking to the Klitschkos, trying to make that deal. Audley's just trying to get some headlines.
"If, by some miracle, I ended up in the same ring as him, I think everybody with half a brain cell would know what the result would be. I would go out there and mince him."
The target is either Vitali Klitschko, the WBC champion, or his brother Wladimir, the IBF and WBO champion, but Haye says he knows he will have to face both in time to get the full recognition he seeks.
"That's the plan," he added.
"The way I see it, I've got to beat both of them at some stage. They have different strengths and different assets, so I'd have to treat each fight differently but both are fighters I feel I could beat.
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"I've always said I would retire at the end of next year. I started boxing when I was 10 and said then I would retire from boxing when I was 30 and that's still the time restraint I've set myself.
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"I've got to be very strategic about the next two or three fights I have."
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