UNITED KINGDOM: BOXING - David Haye and Vladimir Klitschko trade insults again as they gear up for their upcoming heavyweight fight

Record ID: 766328

  • Title: UNITED KINGDOM: BOXING - David Haye and Vladimir Klitschko trade insults again as they gear up for their upcoming heavyweight fight
  • Date: 11th May 2011
  • Summary: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (MAY 10, 2011) (REUTERS) (*** FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY ***) DAVID HAYE WALKS INTO NEWS CONFERENCE ROOM AND SITS DOWN VLADIMIR KILTSCHKO WALKS INTO NEWS CONFERENCE ROOM, SHAKE HANDS WITH HAYE CAMP BUT NOT WITH HAYE (SOUNDBITE) (English) DAVID HAYE SAYING: "I believe Vladimir Klitschko is probably solely responsible for killing the heavyweight
  • Embargoed: 26th May 2011 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: United Kingdom, United Kingdom
  • Country: United Kingdom
  • Topics: Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVAEFIIONN9TXR4CLR2VAX8MZQ87
  • Story Text: David Haye and Vladimir Klitscho exchanged verbal blows on Tuesday (May 10), one day after promising to knock each other out in the upcoming fight to be staged on July 2 in Germany.
    Haye, who called Klitschko a 'fraud' at a news conference in the previous day in Hamburg, took the offensive again in front of the international media in London, accusing his opponent for undermining the appeal of topflight boxing.
    "I believe Vladimir Klitschko is probably solely responsible for killing the heavyweight division for making sure that the heavyweight championship has not been shown worldwide - a few channels here and there but the main, the big boys turned off to it, the average boxer fan has turned off to it. Finally they came. Finally they came back to it to this particular fight and that is because of me," Haye told reporters.
    The British boxer reiterated his opponent had a 'boring' style and said his basic instincts will prevail against the Ukrainian-born fighter who holds WBO, IBF and IBO belts.
    "We are two animals you know, you get two dogs in a fight. One of the dogs have a few tricks and you say 'seat' it seats . The other one rolls over, gives a paw, left paw. That's him. I am Mr Dog you can't control me and we get two dogs in a fight, The toughest one win, the one that is toughest mentally, physically, that is me. I am a prime fighting machine. He is manufactured, look at his style, look at what he does, boring --- jab, jab. grab, jab, jab, grab. That is all he does," Haye said.
    Klitschko, 35, said Haye was just 'promoting himself' and added he had a lot of respect for his 30 year-old challenger.
    "I don't want ot underestimate David Haye. David Haye has fast hands, great speed . He knocked a lot of guys out. He was cruiserweight champion and I want to give and I want to give to David Haye as a fighter in a certain way a lot of respect."
    Klitschko vowed to knock Haye only in the last round and promised him 'free' post-traumatic treatment with his brother who is a doctor.
    Klitschko's record stands at 55-3 with 49 knockouts while Haye has a career record of 25-1 with 23 knockouts.
    Klitschko and his brother Vitaly, who holds the WBC belt, twice had fights with Haye called off in the past two years after they failed to agree on the details for the much-awaited unification fight.
    Klitschko could win the only remaining major belt that has eluded the two brothers while a victory for Haye would drive a wedge into the Klitschko careers, giving the Briton a shot at all five belts.
    Like in Hamburg, the two boxers had a long stare-down without shaking hands at the end.
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