Replies

[Maxy]

Taken from The Guardian Unlimited.

Wladimir Klitschko has branded David Haye "embarrassing" after the Bermondsey fighter called him "Wladimir Bitchko" when continuing his declaration of war on the IBO and WBA heavyweight champion, and his elder brother, Vitaly.Haye fights Wladimir on 20 June in Germany at Schalke 04's stadium for the 33-year-old's titles in what promises to be one of the biggest events in the sport's history. More than 100 countries want to broadcast the fight live from Gelsenkirchen and 47,000 tickets have been sold. That figure could rise to a postwar European record of 70,000, comfortably beating the 57,000 crowd who witnessed Ricky Hatton defeat Juan Lazcano in Manchester in 2007.

After Haye again wore a T-shirt depicting him holding the bloodied, dismembered heads of the brothers, Wladimir said: "What an example David Haye is giving to the youth. It is embarrassing. My feelings are embarrassment that such a personality is involved in the sport. I cannot accept it. Boxing is international — it has one race, one language and this is performance.."

Haye countered that his opponent "is a fighter that doesn't like to fight, with slappy gloves who doesn't stand like a true heavyweight great and go to war. But at some stage in your career you have to throw bombs. I'm going to force him to do that,", before admitting a personal dislike for Klitchsko.

"Yeah. He sucks, he's crap, I don't like his style, I don't like what he represents. He can be charming but he doesn't entertain. You should judge someone on what they do once the bell rings. I want to show him I am the best heavyweight in the world."

Wladimir, who kept cool throughout and with his courteous manner showed he has a touch of class, told Haye, a former cruiserweight world champion, that he had "only done two fights in heavyweight and wants to be champion. That's really provocative.

"I'm asking what's next, my dad's head, my mother's head, other family members? Maybe he'll attack my religion, my race. This is over the edge, this is not about sport. I tell you this guy will be punished." My jabs will give him a pizza face and then in the 12th-round I will knock him out."

Depending on the outcome, there will either be a rematch or Haye will fight Vitaly for his WBC title to unify the division.

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I like Haye. He's bringing interest to the fight and much needed interest to the heavyweight division. Whether he can back up his boasts or not I'm thinking this is going to be one of the most eagerly anticipated heavyweight bouts for years.

[STEVENSKI]

A repeat of Mercer vs Morrison would suit me just fine.