• Heavyweight

Haye's opponent unveiled in two weeks

ESPN staff
April 1, 2013

David Haye's trainer Adam Booth is confident that he has secured an opponent for the former heavyweight world champion's comeback fight, with an official announcement due in mid-April.

Haye announced his return to the ring at the end of March, with his first fight scheduled for June 29 at the Manchester Arena as he goes in search of another showdown with the Klitschko brothers.

The opponent will be named when Haye returns from a warm-weather training camp in Northern Cyprus later this month.

And while Booth remains tight-lipped, he believes he has lined up the first of two fights in 2013 that will put the 32-year-old in the box seat to challenge one of the Ukrainian heavyweight champions in 2014.

"I'm hoping that when we get back in two weeks we'll do a press conference that very week with the opponent to announce the fight," Booth told ESPN's Steve Bunce for Buncey's Boxing Podcast.

"I'm confident I've got the guy - obviously I'm not going to say anything, but while we're away the paperwork will go across, and when we get back we've still got 11 weeks before the fight. How many times do you see opponents named that early?"

Booth made no secret of Haye's intentions in his second heavyweight career - a showdown with one or both Klitschkos - but believes the manner in which the former cruiserweight goes about securing the fight may change this time around.

"We would assume that one of the Klitschkos would go for one of the biggest money fights out there - that would be David - but that didn't happen," Booth added.

"The aim is for David to drive himself into an unavoidable position. If David beats two top-ten ranked contenders then it's as good an argument as anyone can make - 'I should be the next mandatory'."

Haye is planning to fight twice in 2013, Booth confirmed. "Everything being healthy and going right, the plan is for him to fight in June and again in October or November."

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