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Haye waiting by the phone for Vitali's call

David Haye produced an underwhelming display against Wladimir Klitschko © PA Photos

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David Haye has revealed he is waiting for a call from Vitali Klitschko so that he can shelve his plans for retirement, with the Brit admitting he "underachieved" when he fought the Ukrainian's brother, Wladimir.

Haye lost his WBA heavyweight title to Wladimir in a one-sided points defeat in July, leaving his decision to hang up his gloves before turning 31 in October appearing somewhat premature. With that date drawing ever nearer, the 30-year-old must quickly decide whether to call time on his career or fight on past his 31st birthday.

The Londoner has made it clear he would only delay walking away from the sport if a fight with either Vtali or Wladimir was on the table. With the older brother saying he'd love to knock Haye out after recently defending his WBC crown against Tomasz Adamek, there seems every chance Haye may get the opportunity to right the wrongs of his dismal showing in Hamburg.

"It's not about money for me," Haye told the Daily Telegraph. "I know I underachieved against Wladimir. I wasn't firing on all cylinders, for whatever reason. It wasn't the real me in there, and you always want to go out [in your career] showing everybody what you really have. So if I go out there and give 100 per cent, I know I have a good chance of beating Vitali.

"The only way I can prove that I can do what I said before I faced Wladimir, is go out there and redeem myself in my mind against Vitali. At 100 per cent fit, you would see the real fighter I have in me out there. I'd still fight Wladimir again, too. Vitali and Wladimir are the only two fights on the planet I would break my retirement plans for."

Haye watched Vitali's 10th-round stoppage of Adamek and insists he saw things in the 40-year-old's performance which he could expose if the pair met in the ring, although a Haye victory would be no guarantee, according to Haye's trainer Adam Booth.

"Vitali did what he needed to do, he was effective, he was fighting a guy with no head movement, with little or no idea of how to beat him," Haye said. "Klitschko should have knocked him out a lot sooner. By rights, Vitali should be knocking Adamek out. Adamek has been knocked out at light-heavyweight.

"A lot of people around me are saying I could beat Vitali. Adam Booth is on the fence. We watched the Klitschko-Adamek fight together live from London. As we were watching the fight, we could both see stuff I could capitalise on that Adamek was unable to do. He's not athletic, and he's a light-heavyweight.

"He's just done a lot of weight-training to get to heavyweight. I'm a natural athlete. I can move in and out of range, I can punch a lot harder, it was quite frustrating watching it. If it is meant to be, Vitali's people will get in touch, and it will be worth changing my retirement plans.

"Vitali said after the Adamek fight that he wanted to fight me now. But I think it's all talk. He realised he was not going to get any headlines for knocking out Adamek, so he threw my name out there. For some reason I don't really think he wants to do it. If they contact us, and talk to us and are serious about it, I'll consult my team."

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