David Haye & Audley Harrison Admit To Fight Talks

The manager of WBA title-holder David Haye has affirmed he’s spoken with Audley Harrison’s team regarding a all-British heavyweight showdown in 2010.

Although Adam Booth contends Harrison is just one of six probable competitors and states absolutely no contract discussions happened.

Harrison had also stated talks have been under way with the Klitschko bros.

However the Ukrainians’ manager Bernd Boente told the BBC that there was absolutely no talks and forecasted Haye would consider the “easy option” and match up against Harrison.

Harrison, 38, has vacated the European crown that he picked up with a last-gasp knockout of Michael Sprott on April and the Olympic super-heavyweight champ from 2000 states he’ll be able to fight in October, having recovered from the torn pectoral muscle tissue.

Vitali Klitschko, 38, holds the WBC title whilst the brother Wladimir, 34, holds the IBF and WBO belts – and expectancy has increased over a likely meeting for either brother with 29-year-old Haye.

“David Haye is a false prophet. One punch and that chin will shatter like glass,” said Harrison.

“If I was him I’d keep running from the Klitschkos and keep beating up on shop-worn American heavyweights.

“I’m told by my promoters that both David Haye and the Klitschko brothers have expressed an interest in facing me when I return after rehab.

“If it’s either Klitschko brother the task will be hard, but that’s how I want it. I respect both brothers as they are effective at what they do but both can be beat.

“Whatever the route I will find a way to fulfil my destiny and become heavyweight champion of the world.”

Vitali Klitschko laboured to a 10th-round knockout with Poland’s Albert Sosnowski in the very last fight last month.

Sosnowski had the European title before Harrison and was scheduled to battle the Londoner in April but chosen a battle with Klitschko instead.

In the mean time, Wladimir Klitschko was timetabled to fight Haye last year, only for the Brit to withdraw with the back injuries.

Haye went on to fight Nikolay Valuev for that WBA belt as an alternative, outpointing the huge Russian in Nuremburg previous November.

Boente told the BBC that either of the brothers would prefer to fight Haye, but accused the Briton of “running scared”.

We have not discussed for one minute a fight with Audley Harrison

The Klitschko brothers’ manager Bernd Boente

“He’s always challenging the Klitschko brothers but since Vitali challenged him we haven’t heard from him. My feeling is that he’s afraid,” said Boente.

“We have not discussed for one minute a fight with Audley Harrison and at the moment it would not make much sense, it’s not up for discussion. I think he wants to bring that to Haye’s people.”

Haye knocked out former world champion John Ruiz in nine rounds in April, since when he has been non-committal about his future.

Harrison’s promoter Eddie Hearn has no doubts as to what Haye’s next move should be, calling a match between the two Londoners potentially “the biggest the UK has ever seen”.

“Everyone wants to fight Audley because they know what he brings to the table,” added Hearn, the son of veteran sports promoter Barry.

“He will be installed as the mandatory challenger for the European title but we are also in discussions with the Klitchkos and David Haye and Adam Booth regarding a world title shot later this year.

“Audley’s last two appearances in the UK have attracted record viewing figures, so couple that with Haye’s popularity and the fight is huge.”

Ever since winning gold at the Sydney Olympics, Harrison’s professional career has been a whirlwind affair and before his success over Sprott in April he had never been in ownership of a recognised title.

The career appeared all but over prior to his sucess in Barry Hearn’s Prizefighter heavyweight tournament last October and he was behind on points against Sprott before producing a spectacular left hook in the last round.

And while Eddie Hearn may be overstating things when he says a match between Haye and Harrison, who used to be close friends, is potentially the biggest in British history, it would certainly appeal to many boxing fans.

Haye Offers To Fight Klitschko In Germany

David Haye has offered to fight WBO and IBF heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko in Germany after prospects of the bout taking place in a large London venue faded.

Haye’s camp seemed close to agreeing a deal for a June bout in London but the fight itself could now be in doubt unless an agreement is found quickly.

Haye wants the fight so much that he has stated he will travel to Klitschko’s backyard for it. “David will fight Wladimir anywhere they choose,” the 28-year-old’s trainer and manager Adam Booth said.

Klitschko, 32, who is based in Germany, boasts 52 wins in 55 bouts. His last success came on 13 December when the referee stopped American Hasim Rahman’s punishment in the seventh round. Since moving up from Crusierweight Haye has been determined for a showdown with one of the Klitschko brother, has he has stated he only wants to fight the best in the division.

Boxer Antonio Margarito Banned For A Year

Former WBA welterweight champion Antonio Margarito has had his licence revoked for one year by the California State Athletic Commission. Margarito and trainer Javier Capetillo have been banned for putting a plaster-like substance under Margarito’s hand wraps for his fight with Shane Mosley – which Margarito lost after being stopped . The pads, confiscated last week, are still being tested by the commission. Mexican Margarito lost his WBA welterweight title to Mosley in January via a ninth-round technical knock-out. The California State Athletic Commission voted 7-0 to revoke both Margarito and Capetillo’s boxing licences. This is a sudenly fall from grace for the all action fighter from Mexico following his epic battle ands knock out of then unbeaten Cotto last year.

Khan – Barrera Fight To Go Ahead Despite Cut

Amir Khan’s bout with Marco Antonio Barrera will go ahead as planned on 14 March, says promoter Frank Warren. There had been concerns that the fight was in jeopardy after the Mexican suffered a cut in a warm-up contest against Freudis Rojas on Saturday night. But former three-weight world champion Barrera, 35, has undergone a thorough medical examination and been given the all clear to take on Bolton’s Amir Khan on the co main event on the Manchester card. The Manchester fight could be make or break for Khan, follow his set back in losing to unknown Prescott in 1 round last year.

Barrera Cut Put Khan Fight In Doubt

Amir Khan’s planned fight with Marco Antonio Barrera is in doubt after the Mexican great suffered a cut in a warm-up bout on Saturday.You have to question the idea of having a warm up bout when the fight with Khan is only siz weeks away.The Former three-weight world champion was butted by late substitute Freudis Rojas in his home town of Jalisco, before Rojas was disqualified. So far more than 15,000 tickets have been sold for the show which is headlined by Khan and Barrera in Manchester on 14 March.

Barrera will see a doctor on Monday before deciding if he can box. “I spoke to Don King [Barrera's promoter] and he told me that hopefully it will be OK,” Khan’s promoter Frank Warren told The Times. “At the moment, we just don’t know. I am told it was a vertical gash, but we will find out more on Monday. “I did not want this fight in Mexico to happen, but I think there was pressure on him to go ahead with it. If the worst comes to the worst, we will have to push it back a couple of weeks, but we don’t want to do that.”

Haye Still Set To Face A Klitschko

WBO and IBF heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko is set to fight David Haye in London later this year.”We are still conducting negotiations but the fight is expected to be held on 20 June,” Wladimir Klitschko told German newspaper Bild.

He also named Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge stadium as the likely venue for the fight with Brit.

It had been expected theat Haye would would go onto fight Wladimir’s elder brother Vitali, who has a mandatory defence against Juan Carlos Gomez of Cuba on 21 March for the WBC belt. However, Vitali revealed that the siblings had tossed a coin to decide who should fight former undisputed cruiserweight champion Haye.

“For the first time there was a little set-to between us brothers,” said Vitali. “Our manager Bernd Boente came in and wanted to settle things. He found a solution – tossing a coin in the air, and Wladimir won.”

Haye has made his preference for fighting Wladimir well known and recently angered the brothers by posing in a British magazine in a mocked up picture which showed him holding his favoured rival’s severed head. “Haye has threatened and dishonoured the Klitschko family honour and he will be punished,” vowed Wladimir.