[D-MARV]

By Mark Vester

Adam Booth, manager and trainer of WBA heavyweight champion David Haye, is claiming that his fighter actually budged to the financial demands of WBO/IBO/IBF champion Wladimir Klitschko. There is only one problem, Booth claims Klitschko is refusing to sign the agreement, but never gives an exact reason as to why Klitschko is stalling

The big issue with getting a deal done was the British pay-per-view money. Klitschko wanted 50% and Haye was refusing to give it up. Now Haye has offered, according to Booth, 50% of the British television revenue. Booth even claims that Haye is willing to fight Klitschko in Germany - if the fight generates the most money in that country.

Booth told the Guardian: "I have been negotiating with Bernd Boente, Wladimir Klitschko's manager, and two days ago I offered him a 50-50 split of everything, including the British pay-per-view money. And that the fight could be on RTL [the German TV station] and could be held anywhere they wanted to make the most revenue, including in Germany.

"Those were the only two points we were negotiating. But [Klitschko's manager] Bernd Boente came back and said: 'No point continuing. Forget about it. You do your fight and we'll do ours.' Wladimir was copied in on all the emails so I don't know why they are refusing. That is the question Boente refused to answer. Either Wladimir does not want to fight David Haye or, maybe, it is because they have this deal with RTL and they want to get that fight out of the way."

If Klitschko does not finalize a deal with Haye by January 11, then he must honor an existing agreement to fight unbeaten British boxer Dereck Chisora. Klitschko was set to face Chisora on December 11, but withdrew with an injury. The contract calls for a 30-day period which allows Klitschko to find a new opponent. If there is no movement in 30-days, Klitschko must reschedule the Chisora fight.

[lloyd mayflower]

Almost fell asleep reading that article. These two should be restricted in the press to announcing when a contract is signed, then once a contract is signed, they will be allowed to trash talk at pre aproved weekly events.

[Sunni6Killer]

Wake me when they're face to face in the ring.

[gravytrain]

somehow i'm thinking Haye is making it seem like he's open to fight right now, then when Wlad says "I must break you" Haye will pull out with a back injury or announce a reason why he can't fight.

[BGv2.0]

I don't know...I mean Haye is really at the end of the line after that last fight....even the Brits were pissed. It's very unlikely they will be putting him in the ring with the likes of Williams or Sprott no matter the money...as after that last outing it cannot even be close to the worth of a Wlad or Vitali fight.

PLUS...IF it's true Wlad hurt his abdominal on one side...that would give you the slightest of weak points to focus on...IMHO now seems as good as any....he's not going to grow any shorter so might as well take the shot when you know he may have had an injury.

[D-MARV]

Is this deal fair? I hope that Wlad will call his bluff and say "Fuck it, Let's do it".

[gravytrain]

Is this deal fair? I hope that Wlad will call his bluff and say "Fuck it, Let's do it".

Not if Wlad is inured still, i think ab tears can last up to 3 months.

[Byrd Man]

with all this talk about "we'll have the fight where it makes the most money" does anyone actually think this fight will be anywhere but the US? Probably Vegas?

As big a fight as this is, if it's in the UK or Germany, it'll be about 2pm or 5pm here in the States, thus killing PPV sales.

I can't see it being anywhere but the US.

[lloyd mayflower]

They could get at least a small football stadium filled for this over here, or if it was heavily promoted, they could probably fill Wembley, then your talkin upwards of 70.000 people, coupled with the fact that Haye v Harrison sold 700,000 PPVs in Britain alone, and the fact that Wlad is huge in Germany and could easily replicate both that live gate and the PPV sales, maybe even surpass them, I dont see how Vegas makes more sense. That said, lets get the fight made in Vegas. Give me an excuse to return!

[D-MARV]

What are you guys talking about?

This fight belongs in the UK where they can fill a 100,000 seat stadium. I doubt it would be a PPV fight over here in the states. There is plenty of money to be made in this fight and bringing it to the US would hurt it IMO.