David Haye offers Wladimir Klitschko 50-50 split

[Rappy Veteran]

David Haye's trainer and manager Adam Booth has claimed he has agreed a 50-50 split in an attempt to make a match with Wladimir Klitschko next year.

Booth had previously rejected talk of an equal split because WBA heavyweight king Haye brought more to the table through UK television revenue.

However, Booth now says all stumbling blocks have been removed for a heavyweight unification bout.

"We've sorted out all the old problems and disagreements," said Booth.

Klitschko's manager Bernd Boente was unavailable for comment, although Booth told the Guardian on Tuesday that Boente had already been offered the terms but was refusing to sign off on a deal.

Booth added: "We are now perfectly positioned to get together and make this fight with Wladimir Klitschko and are ready to sign the deal both Bernd Boente and I discussed.

"Despite the fact we know we bring more UK television money to the table, David and I are happy to split the entire pot 50-50 and grant Wladimir the deal he has wanted since day one.

"We have offered them 50-50 on everything - just as they requested - and now see no reason why this tremendous fight can't happen. The path is clear."

Haye, 30, added: "We have now ticked every box they have asked us to tick and I just hope Wladimir is as eager to fight as he tells everyone he is.

"We have removed every possible excuse and have shown we are serious about making this fight become a reality. I'll smoke him out if I have to.

"I only pray Wladimir is as serious as we are, because this fight needs to happen for the good of the sport."

Klitschko, the IBF and WBO champion, had been due to meet Haye in 2009 but the fight was called off after the Londoner suffered a back injury.

Earlier in December it was the 34-year-old Ukrainian's turn to pull out of a title fight because of injury, against Britain's Dereck Chisora.

Although Chisora insists he will not step aside and wants the fight he was contracted for, Haye said only Wladimir's camp have the power to decide if the fight goes ahead.

"Chisora is at their mercy, if they want to fight him they will, if they want me they'll fight me - it's up to them," he added.

A showdown between Haye and either Wladimir or his 39-year-old brother Vitali, the WBC champion, has long been discussed.

Haye said Wladimir looks the more realistic prospect, but the Londoner also insisted he will not delay his planned retirement - on his 31st birthday next October - to wait for it to happen.

"I'm going after Wladimir first, he holds the IBF, WBO and IBO titles so it'd be a big scalp to relieve him of those," said Haye.

"I'll retire in October next year - if [the fight] doesn't happen next year it won't happen, I'll just have to accept that becoming the WBA champion was enough and move on with my life.

"That'll be 20 years of getting punched in the face, which is a long enough time.

"I set my goals and achieved them so unifying the titles is the cherry on the cake but if it doesn't happen it wasn't meant to be and I've just got to get on with my life."

Haye admitted the coming year would be "tough" if he does not secure a unification fight, but he is prepared to pursue other options if necessary.

"I'll have to look out for good challengers. The mandatory challenger is Ruslan Chagaev, who is an awkward southpaw, but I've come off the back of training for a southpaw after the Audley Harrison fight," he added.

"It wouldn't be too hard to put that fight together and I'm sure he'll jump at the chance of challenging for the world title, but he'll get the same treatment as everybody else."

[D. S. Veteran]

It's a great business move. Haye loses some money upfront in this fight but after he wins (very likely) he has the unified titles and is able to demand even more money for his fights.

[TheElite]

It's a great business move. Haye loses some money upfront in this fight but after he wins (very likely) he has the unified titles and is able to demand even more money for his fights.

1. Haye will not win against Wladimir Klitschko.

2. He plans to retire after the fight (or even before if the fight doesn't happen before October).

[Rappy Veteran]

I think Haye will win but then lose to the other brother

[Rappy Veteran]

Britain's unbeaten heavyweight boxer Dereck Chisora's fight with IBF and WBO champion Wladimir Klitschko has been rearranged for 30 April in Germany.

Chisora had been due to meet Klitschko in December but the fight was postponed because of an injury to the Ukrainian.

It had been expected WBA champion David Haye would seal a unification fight with Klitschko but this ends his hopes of meeting the 34-year-old in April.

"This news is a fantastic late Christmas present," said Chisora.

The fight between Klitschko and 27-year-old Chisora could now open up the possibility of fellow Londoner Haye taking on the Ukrainian's brother Vitali Klitschko, who is the WBC champion, in April or May.

But the rescheduling of Chisora's bout with Klitschko will complicate Haye's hopes of unifying the division as the 30-year-old WBA champion has vowed to retire before his 31st birthday in October.

Haye said he was gloomy about the possibility of fighting Wladimir Klitschko in the future.

"I'm done with the Klitschkos," said Haye in a statement. "I know I can retire later this year with my head held high, knowing I did everything in my power to make these fights happen."

The Klitschkos' manager Bernd Boente revealed Haye and Wladimir had been close to agreeing an April date, but negotiations broke down at the final hurdle.

Boente said the sides had agreed on the material aspects of the fight, including a 50-50 split of the revenue.

However, they could not come to an agreement on a date and site for the fight because of conflicting schedules between RTL, the German network that features Wladimir Klitschko's fights, and Sky, the British subscription network that televises Haye's bouts on Sky Box Office pay-per-view.

http://goo.gl/6loe5

that's one brother he isn't getting!

[StrikedOut]

Heavy weight boxing has gotten more and more boring over the last few years. Would like to see Haye win but couldnt care less either way.

[D. S. Veteran]

The problem is having so many titles sanctioned by so many organizations. If everything got unified, then it would start getting interesting. In the current picture, I'm also a World Heavyweight Boxing Champion, sanctioned by my local boxing association.

[Rappy Veteran]

I wonder who Haye will face now now Wlad put himself out of contention I would think its going to be Vitali

[D. S. Veteran]

I wonder who Haye will face now now Wlad put himself out of contention I would think its going to be Vitali

James Toney.

[Rappy Veteran]

James Toney.

oh he's spent his $500k from UFC already :o