According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, the much anticipate Heavyweight championship between recognized world champion Wladimir Klitschko and David Haye appears to have been finalized.
More than two years in the making — thanks to Haye’s constant verbal trashing of Klitschko and his older brother, fellow titlist Vitali Klitschko — the fight will take place either June 25 or July 2, both sides said.
However, it is not signed yet.
“It’s 99 percent,” Bernd Boente, Klitschko’s manager, told ESPN.com Sunday. “This week it will be finally signed and also announced. But it is not signed.
“We will sign it very soon. There are no question marks anymore,” Boente said. “The fighters have to sign. [Haye manager/trainer] Adam Booth has to sign. I have to sign. Wladimir [has to sign]. As long as it’s not signed, it’s 99 percent.”
“I am really pleased that we have closed a deal on this fight,” Klitschko told the Welt am Sonntag newspaper.
“The terms were right, it’s a fair deal — it’s a 50-50 split. That’s what they wanted and that’s what I wanted,” Haye told the BBC. “Here it is — end of June, beginning of July. Let’s get ready to rumble.”
“It will be in a European time zone, but England is out,” Boente said. “It could be one of three different stadiums in Germany. We also have three options outside of Germany. All these things will be discussed A to Z between Adam and myself.
“In the contract we have a paragraph that we do all of these things together because that is what is best,” he added. “Adam will be involved in the stadium deal. We will also talk to American TV stations HBO and Showtime. It could also be on pay-per-view in the U.S. if we can’t find an agreement.”
“The points are agreed to, and I think both sides are happy,” Boente said. “No options, no rematches. One fight. If we want to do another one and sit down afterward and see if it makes sense, we will do that. But this is a straight one-fight deal. It’s obvious that if there is public interest in another fight, it will probably come.”
“Our contract with Chisora says if someone is injured — Wladimir still is — there is no fight,” Boente said. “It is the same injury from December, and it has not healed properly. So the April fight is off, but June or July, that is different. I can only tell you the truth. That is what the doctor said.
“The doctor checked Wladimir and said it is not possible to fight April 30. Why should anybody question it? However it looks, I can only tell you this is the truth and he is one of the top doctors in Germany.”
“Knock on wood, nothing happens. Vitali has to win his fight in two weeks against Solis, which is a very tough fight,” Boente said. “If he comes out of that fight, he is also a possibility. In the contract it says Vitali or Wladimir.”
“Haye is now willing to fight Vitali,” Boente said. “I think it will be Wladimir to face Haye, but it’s not a precondition from Adam Booth or David Haye. In these negotiations they were very flexible. David said he was also willing to fight Vitali, which is different than last time. I think all sides acted as real gentlemen. That is why we reached the goal this time.”
“We had this door open all the time,” Boente said. “Haye walked away last time because Wladimir was going to fight Chisora. But Wladimir was always willing to fight Haye in July if they came back to talk again. They did that.”
