• Boxing

Klitschko's hate will spark a war - Haye

ESPN staff
April 27, 2011
Wladimir Klitschko's methodical strategy got him past Eddie Chambers in 2010 © Getty Images
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David Haye believes he has riled Wladimir Klitschko so much that the Ukrainian will have no choice but to abandon his usual in-ring strategy during their heavyweight unification clash.

The pair have now begun their media campaign, meaning that their verbal battles can take place face-to-face - and Haye feels he has already got under Klitschko's skin by blasting his "boring" style.

Klitschko's jab-heavy tactics in the ring have come under heavy fire in recent years, as the Ukrainian regularly dismissed challengers in an effective, but not particularly exhilarating, manner. While the success of his methods cannot be doubted, Haye believes his opponent is set to tear up his regular gameplan in favour of an all-out war on July 2 in Hamburg.

"I've never seen him so aggressive before," Haye told Sky Sports. "At one stage I was 90% sure he was going to jump across the table and try and hit me. I know he's not going to come out and do his usual jab, jab, grab tactics - he's going to come out, hold his feet and go to war.

"I can see it in his eyes, he genuinely despises me, and that always makes for a tremendous fight. If you look at his last five fights, they've been very slow and tactical, with no emotion whatsoever - he doesn't care if the crowd are booing him. When he gets angry, he comes at people, he gets excited, and that always makes for a more entertaining fight."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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