Publications
Partners
Berlin - World heavyweight champions Wladimir Klitschko of the Ukraine and Britain's David Haye will clash in a unification bout in Hamburg on July 2, it was confirmed on Wednesday.
Haye, the WBA champion, will meet IBF and WBO title-holder Klitschko at Bundesliga team Hamburg's 57 000-capacity Imtech Arena football stadium after months of negotiations for the fight.
Klitschko has been undergoing protracted rehabilitation from an abdominal injury suffered in December, but is expected to be fit.
Haye, who defeated Russian giant Nikolai Valuev in 2009 to win his title, had initially been due to fight Klitschko in 2009, but the fight fell through because of an injury to the British fighter.
Former cruiserweight Haye only stepped up to the heavyweights in 2008.
He plans to retire in October, when he turns 31, and this will be his third defence of his title.
He aims to beat the younger Klitschko before taking on older brother Vitali for his WBC heavyweight title.
"I've always said that I will knock out Wladimir Klitschko, fetch his belt, then beat his brother Vitali before retiring at the top as heavyweight champion," said Haye.
"Wladimir has been boxing only cowards. I will show him his limits. That's a promise."
Klitschko, 35, has 55 wins, including 49 knock-outs and three defeats on his record.
He has held the IBF title since 2006 and in 2008 he beat Sultan Ibragimov at New York's Madison Square Garden to add the WBO title.
"I'm delighted that I will finally meet Haye in the ring," said Klitschko.
"He has twice avoided fighting against one of the Klitschko brothers.
"Haye has been making stupid comments for years and showing up with these crazy t-shirts.
"Now he must really show what he can do in the ring.
"I have been looking forward to this evening for two years, Hamburg will be a great place to settle my score with Haye."
This will be Haye's sixth world title fight and Klitschko's 19th.
Haye, the WBA champion, will meet IBF and WBO title-holder Klitschko at Bundesliga team Hamburg's 57 000-capacity Imtech Arena football stadium after months of negotiations for the fight.
Klitschko has been undergoing protracted rehabilitation from an abdominal injury suffered in December, but is expected to be fit.
Haye, who defeated Russian giant Nikolai Valuev in 2009 to win his title, had initially been due to fight Klitschko in 2009, but the fight fell through because of an injury to the British fighter.
Former cruiserweight Haye only stepped up to the heavyweights in 2008.
He plans to retire in October, when he turns 31, and this will be his third defence of his title.
He aims to beat the younger Klitschko before taking on older brother Vitali for his WBC heavyweight title.
"I've always said that I will knock out Wladimir Klitschko, fetch his belt, then beat his brother Vitali before retiring at the top as heavyweight champion," said Haye.
"Wladimir has been boxing only cowards. I will show him his limits. That's a promise."
Klitschko, 35, has 55 wins, including 49 knock-outs and three defeats on his record.
He has held the IBF title since 2006 and in 2008 he beat Sultan Ibragimov at New York's Madison Square Garden to add the WBO title.
"I'm delighted that I will finally meet Haye in the ring," said Klitschko.
"He has twice avoided fighting against one of the Klitschko brothers.
"Haye has been making stupid comments for years and showing up with these crazy t-shirts.
"Now he must really show what he can do in the ring.
"I have been looking forward to this evening for two years, Hamburg will be a great place to settle my score with Haye."
This will be Haye's sixth world title fight and Klitschko's 19th.
