[Byrd Man]

Well this is interesting. ESPN reports that Haye decided to fight Valuev instead of Vitali Klitschko.

Let the Haye Hate begin. lol

Former cruiserweight champion David Haye will get a heavyweight title shot but it won't come against Vitali Klitschko, as has been in the works.

Instead, the former cruiserweight champion will challenge heavyweight titlist Nikolai Valuev on Nov. 7 in Germany after snubbing the deal to fight Klitschko, Haye's trainer and manager Adam Booth told ESPN.com on Wednesday.

The revelation was the end of a curious day. Klitschko manager Bernd Boente and adviser Shelly Finkel couldn't reach Booth to finalize a deal they thought they had agreed to for Klitschko-Haye to meet Sept. 12 at the 55,000-seat Commerzbank Arena in Frankfurt, Germany. The fight would have had live television coverage on HBO in the United States.

This post has been edited by Byrd Man: Jul 22 2009, 06:18 PM

[Guest_Fitz_*]

Fuck, I hate the heavyweights.

[D-MARV]

Most people were picking Haye to get destroyed anyways. Good choice by Haye... This will lead to a bigger payday for a Klitschko fight as well as a good tune up.

WAR HAYE.

[The Original MrF...]

Haye just killed any credibility he had... Vitaly and Wlad being snubbed AFTER all the shit talk in the world. Haye is an asshole!!! I dont blame either Klit if they never fight him. I hope Valuev stops him in the 1st round... An hell no I wont be buying it. I'll be sure to watch highlights on ESPN2...

[Byrd Man]

there was a decent comment on the ESPN board that I agree with on this:

The bolded parts are what I particularly agree with.

Klitschko is a no-win fight at this point. He refuses to fight anywhere but Germany now it seems. He also makes sure that he gets most of the purse, and that he gets an auto-rematch if he loses or quits because of injury. Unfortunately he is turning into his brother, which is sad, because Vitali has the skills and toughness (which his brother does NOT have) to be the most dominant fighter of this generation. He absolutely set the bar when he pounded Lennox Lewis. Sadly it all came crashing down because of injuries.

A cruiserweight shouldn't fight him, especially with so much going against him in the contract and such. If it were on more even ground and he were actually making a good purse then it makes sense to fight Vitali. But if he is going to get pounded anyway, then why go to Germany and make less money to do so? Smart move by Haye. He'll have a better chance against Valuev who is a big creampuff. Plus Haye becomes worth WAY more to Klitschko if he beats Valuev. Smart business move. Set up the possibility, move away from it... then re-visit it if his value goes upa nd he takes Valuev's title (which Klitschko desperately covets).

This post has been edited by Byrd Man: Jul 22 2009, 06:25 PM

[The Original MrF...]

there was a decent comment on the ESPN board that I agree with on this:

The bolded parts are what I particularly agree with.

Well that kinda changes things... lol... Haye is still an assholio...

[Byrd Man]

I've said before the stipulations in the Klitschko's contracts for Haye were absolutely ridiculous. So I think this is a brilliant move by Haye. He's naturally going to take some shit for all the trash he talked and then went to fight someone else, but that said, it's very smart. Fight Valuev who's WIDELY considered the worst titleholder at the time. If he beats him, then he has a title and has WAY more bargaining power, as far as neutral site, even purse, if a little slanted towards Wlad, and not have all these bullshit clauses and whatnot.

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport...ant-Valuev.html

Haye agreed to fight the 'Beast from the East' after becoming disillusioned with the way talks were progressing over his proposed Frankfurt date with WBC champion Vitali Klitschko in September.

Haye was originally scheduled to fight Vitali's brother Wladimir at Gelsenkirchen in June for the IBF and WBO titles.

But the Brit, 28, was forced to pull out after injuring his back training.

He said: "The reality was that I would not have been in control of my own destiny for quite a long while if I had signed the contract the Klitschko management group were putting in front of me.

"Basically they would have been able to tell me when and who I fight for quite a while to come.

"This way, when I beat Valuev later this year I will again be in control of my own destiny."

This post has been edited by Byrd Man: Jul 22 2009, 06:34 PM

[STEVENSKI]

Good for Haye. I can't fault the man for having massive balls.

[provo]

This was a Business move a smart one! Especially if Haye is able to knockout Valuev big ass! The klitchsko fight will be worth more.
I just want 2 see someone Knockout out Valuev's big ass out with a hot one like ricky hatton got caught LOL,
And this shit better not be on PPV I aint paying for that lol

[Romulus9]

I hope Valuev knocks Haye out in the first round, thus knocking him out of the shot at either Klitschko that he had, TWICE, and walked away from.