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Hamburg - Britain's world heavyweight champion David Haye has said he will only shake the hand of Wladimir Klitschko when he visits him in hospital after their Saturday's unification bout.
Klitschko, the IBF and WBO title-holder, takes on Britain's Haye, the WBA champion, at Hamburg's Imtech Arena this weekend.
There is no love lost between the pair and Haye has admitted he wants to antagonise Klitschko to promote the fight and lure the Ukrainian into an all-out attack.
Haye has not wasted any opportunities to antagonise his rival and refused to shake hands with his fellow champion at Monday's pre-fight press conference.
"I will shake hands with you when I visit you in hospital on Sunday," said Haye, who has dubbed Klitschko "Bitchko" and "a fraud" in the past.
"This is going to be the most brutal execution of a boxer that you've seen for many, many years.
"I'm going to go out there and absolutely destroy him, really quickly."
This is the first heavyweight unification bout since Klitschko took the WBO title from Russia's Sultan Ibragimov in Madison Square Garden in February 2008, but Klitschko was unimpressed with Haye's comments.
"No matter what, it is disgraceful and disrespectful for a man to wish to damage your health," said Klitschko.
"This sport is very intense and unfortunately there have been a lot of cases where people have been handicapped and people have died during and after fights. It's not something you can joke about to promote yourself.
"I felt embarrassed at the way David Haye acted in the press conference. Because it also casts a shadow on the sport.
"I just feel an obligation to give him some rehabilitation on Saturday because it will make him a better person.
"I've been angry for the last three years but it has transformed into concentration and motivation now."
This will be only Haye's fifth heavyweight fight since stepping up from cruiserweight in 2008 and although he has a record of 25 wins with 23 knock-outs from 26 fights, most of those came at the lighter weight.
In comparison Klitschko, 35, has 49 knock-outs from 58 fights, with just three defeats, and he insists Haye will be his 50th KO.
Klitschko, the IBF and WBO title-holder, takes on Britain's Haye, the WBA champion, at Hamburg's Imtech Arena this weekend.
There is no love lost between the pair and Haye has admitted he wants to antagonise Klitschko to promote the fight and lure the Ukrainian into an all-out attack.
Haye has not wasted any opportunities to antagonise his rival and refused to shake hands with his fellow champion at Monday's pre-fight press conference.
"I will shake hands with you when I visit you in hospital on Sunday," said Haye, who has dubbed Klitschko "Bitchko" and "a fraud" in the past.
"This is going to be the most brutal execution of a boxer that you've seen for many, many years.
"I'm going to go out there and absolutely destroy him, really quickly."
This is the first heavyweight unification bout since Klitschko took the WBO title from Russia's Sultan Ibragimov in Madison Square Garden in February 2008, but Klitschko was unimpressed with Haye's comments.
"No matter what, it is disgraceful and disrespectful for a man to wish to damage your health," said Klitschko.
"This sport is very intense and unfortunately there have been a lot of cases where people have been handicapped and people have died during and after fights. It's not something you can joke about to promote yourself.
"I felt embarrassed at the way David Haye acted in the press conference. Because it also casts a shadow on the sport.
"I just feel an obligation to give him some rehabilitation on Saturday because it will make him a better person.
"I've been angry for the last three years but it has transformed into concentration and motivation now."
This will be only Haye's fifth heavyweight fight since stepping up from cruiserweight in 2008 and although he has a record of 25 wins with 23 knock-outs from 26 fights, most of those came at the lighter weight.
In comparison Klitschko, 35, has 49 knock-outs from 58 fights, with just three defeats, and he insists Haye will be his 50th KO.
