• Boxing

Haye 'could delay retirement' to face Vitali

ESPN staff
April 26, 2011
Wladimir Klitschko has been at the Tribeca Film festival, alongside girlfriend Hayden Panettiere © Getty Images
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David Haye has hinted that his retirement date may be flexible as he bids to take on both Wladimir and Vitali Klitschko before hanging up his gloves.

Previously, Haye said that he would retire from boxing in October, when he turns 31, irrespective of whether or not he managed to fulfil his dream of unifying the heavyweight division.

Haye, the WBA champion, will take on Wladimir, who holds the WBO and IBF belts, on July 2 in Hamburg. His hopes of moving on to a battle with Vitali, the WBC king, appeared to have faded when the Ukrainian accepted a fight against Tomasz Adamek in September this year.

But it seems that Haye is now willing to push back his exit date as he bids to seize control of all the major belts in the heavyweight division.

When asked if he would still retire if he defeated Wladimir and was promised a late winter or early 2012 fight with Vitali, Haye replied: "It's not if I beat Wlad but when. And no, I would not quit then."

Meanwhile, Wladimir has fired a chilling warning to Haye over his prospects in their fight. "I knocked out 49 fighters and David Haye is going to be the 50th on my list," he said.

"He will try to get through with his strategy, psychological and physical game and I'm ready for it because I'm a true professional athlete and have been doing it for such a long time. I love to be challenged."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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