By Steve Bunce
David Haye is on a mad mission to unify the four different world heavyweight title belts before he hangs up his gloves in two years' time.
Haye defends his WBA version of the heavyweight championship against former champion John Ruiz at the MEN Arena in Manchester on April 3 and then he wants to take on the other champions.
"I want two more hard years in the boxing business to bring all the belts together and give the fight fans a champion they can recognise," said Haye.
"I turned pro to win the world heavyweight title and that is what I've done - now I'm on a mission to unify.
"The heavyweight title has been held by some great fighters in the last 30 years but it seems there is always more than one fighter claiming to be the champion. "Lennox Lewis, Mike Tyson, Riddick Bowe and Evander Holyfield all had their time as the number one, but it has been a mess for about 10 years.
"I could take the easy route like the Klitschko brothers and fight fat no-hopers and make easy defence after easy defence.
"I want to get in with the other champions, in real fights, for real money and hopefully restore pride to the division."
During the last 18 months Haye and the Klitschko brothers - Wladimir who is the WBO and IBF champion and Vitali who holds the WBC version - have been at each other's throats.
Haye was due to fight both Klitschkos last year but the fights collapsed in acrimony, and Haye instead beat the socalled Beast from the East, Nikolai Valuev, to win the title last November.
"They're an angry pair of brothers with some issues outside the ring," added Haye. "They've both tried grabbing me on the safe side of the ropes, but offered me peanuts to fight them inside the ring - that makes no sense to me!
"They have the other belts and if they have any pride left they will have to fight me - it's as simple as that."
The fight against super veteran Ruiz was agreed before Haye toppled Valuev and it is a fight that Haye knows will be harder than some insiders are predicting.
"Ruiz is an old-school tough guy and in 12 world heavyweight title fights he has never been stopped," said Haye.
"My aim is to ruin his record and take him out in spectacular style to entertain the thousands of fans inside the MEN. "I'm not taking the fight lightly because I know how hard Ruiz is, but this will be a celebration and a homecoming to thank the fans for backing me against the Beast." The Haye v Ruiz fight is the first in a series of massive fights involving the top British boxers that taking place before the end of May.
World champions Carl Froch and Amir Khan will defend their titles and Ricky Hatton returns, possibly at the City of Manchester stadium.
Haye said: "This is a great time for British boxing and I'lll make everybody proud and kickoff the good times with a stunning knockout."
Property Of http://www.mirror.co.uk/
No comments:
Post a Comment