David Haye focuses on Vitali Klitschko showdown

Dec 10 2009 by Our Correspondent, Liverpool Daily Post

DAVID HAYE is eager to take on Vitali Klitschko before age catches up with the WBC heavyweight champion, claiming his rival has yet to establish any sort of lasting legacy.

While Haye won a portion of the world title with victory against Nikolai Valuev last month, Ukrainian veteran Klitschko defends his belt against unfancied American Kevin Johnson in Berne on Saturday.

Haye has long craved a showdown with Klitschko or his brother Wladimir -–the IBF and WBO champion – and, after making a mandatory defence against John Ruiz early next year, he is determined to secure unification fights.

“I want to knock out both Wladimir and Vitali Klitschko, and I don’t care what order they fall in,” said Haye, 29.

“Vitali is nearly 40 years of age now and the clock is ticking if he wants to form any sort of legacy. “There are probably one million dudes in America called Kevin Johnson, and beating one of them doesn’t make you an all-time great heavyweight.

“Vitali’s greatest performance to date is a loss to Lennox Lewis. That’s his most memorable fight and the one result on his record that will be remembered in the history books.

“The Klitschkos don’t care about being great fighters, whereas I do.

“They may be big in Switzerland, but so are yodellers, and nobody wants to watch them fight.”