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Team Ruiz: Valuev-Haye Wishful Arrogance -

LAS VEGAS (July 23, 2009) – Team Ruiz believes a potential World Boxing Association _title_ fight _title_ between champion Nicolai Valuev and David Haye is nothing more than a matter of wishful arrogance.

Team Ruiz has already contacted the WBA inform the WBA Championship Committee that WBA mandatory challenger, 2-time WBA heavyweight John “The Quietman” Ruiz (43-8-1, 29 KOs), will not stand by and allow the reported Valuev-Haye _title_ fight in November.

Despite reports from both camps, Valuev-Haye has not been sanctioned as a WBA _title_ fight, and cannot be without a special permit being requested, filed and passed. Ruiz is the mandatory challenger, Valuev’s deadline for his yearly mandatory defense is August 30, and Haye isn’t rated by the WBA.

Ruiz’ advisor and attorney, Anthony Cardinale, and prominent boxing lawyer, Judd Burstein, emailed all concerned parties the following:

“There has been a recent press release quoting David Haye as claiming that he has come to an agreement to fight Nicolai Valuev for the WBA _title_ this coming November. I am writing to inform the WBA Championship Committee that John Ruiz, the WBA Heavyweight Official Challenger, will not stand by and allow such a bout to take place.

“First, Valuev must honor his mandatory obligation to John Ruiz.

“Valuev won the _title_ on August 30th, 2008 and had an interim _title_ fight against Evander Holyfield last December, when the WBA ranked Holyfield out of nowhere to accommodate Valuev and his promoter. Following that Holyfield bout, Valuev was scheduled to fight (Ruslan) Chagaev last April to clear up the heavyweight _title_ situation. On behalf of Mr. Valuev, Mr. (Pat) English claimed that the Chagaev fight was the equivalent of a mandatory bout, requiring Mr. Ruiz to wait a year for a chance. Chagaev was, however, medically declared unfit. Since, he then fought, in violation of specific WBA rules, for the IBF and WBO championships, and lost. Therefore, he no longer may be considered the WBA champion.

“Accordingly, with a year since his last championship victory about to pass, Valuev must fight his next bout as his mandatory against Mr. Ruiz. John Ruiz will not sit by and permit another delay so that Valuev can have another interim fight, especially against another opponent who is not even rated by the WBA. If the WBA Regulations are to have any meaning, there can be no other result. Put simply, John Ruiz has not agreed to permit any bout for the WBA Heavyweight Championship unless he is one of the participants, and he will take any and all legal action necessary to protect his interests.”

Haye has deserved to be in this mess now

Ruiz to block Valuev-Haye?

Team Ruiz has already contacted the WBA inform the WBA Championship Committee that WBA mandatory challenger, and two-time WBA heavyweight John “The Quietman” Ruiz (43-8-1, 29 KOs), will not stand by and allow the reported _title_ fight between champion Nikolai Valuev and David Haye Valuev-Haye in November. Despite reports from both camps, Valuev-Haye has not been sanctioned as a WBA _title_ fight, and cannot be without a special permit being requested, filed and passed. Ruiz is the mandatory challenger, Valuev’s deadline for his yearly mandatory defense is August 30, and Haye isn’t rated by the WBA.

Ruiz’ advisor and attorney, Anthony Cardinale, and prominent boxing lawyer, Judd Burstein, emailed all concerned parties the following:

“There has been a recent press release quoting David Haye as claiming that he has come to an agreement to fight Nicolai Valuev for the WBA _title_ this coming November. I am writing to inform the WBA Championship Committee that John Ruiz, the WBA Heavyweight Official Challenger, will not stand by and allow such a bout to take place.

“First, Valuev must honor his mandatory obligation to John Ruiz.

“Valuev won the _title_ on August 30th, 2008 and had an interim _title_ fight against Evander Holyfield last December, when the WBA ranked Holyfield out of nowhere to accommodate Valuev and his promoter. Following that Holyfield bout, Valuev was scheduled to fight (Ruslan) Chagaev last April to clear up the heavyweight _title_ situation. On behalf of Mr. Valuev, Mr. (Pat) English claimed that the Chagaev fight was the equivalent of a mandatory bout, requiring Mr. Ruiz to wait a year for a chance. Chagaev was, however, medically declared unfit. Since, he then fought, in violation of specific WBA rules, for the IBF and WBO championships, and lost. Therefore, he no longer may be considered the WBA champion.

“Accordingly, with a year since his last championship victory about to pass, Valuev must fight his next bout as his mandatory against Mr. Ruiz. John Ruiz will not sit by and permit another delay so that Valuev can have another interim fight, especially against another opponent who is not even rated by the WBA. If the WBA Regulations are to have any meaning, there can be no other result. Put simply, John Ruiz has not agreed to permit any bout for the WBA Heavyweight Championship unless he is one of the participants, and he will take any and all legal action necessary to protect his interests.”

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David Haye - Twelve Frustrating Months

By James Slater:
By the time he climbs into the ring with defending WBA heavyweight champion Nikolai Valuev (if he actually does, more on that later) heavyweight contender and former cruiserweight champion David Haye will have been out of action for just under a full year. Since overcoming the "Two Gunz" of Monte Barrett at The O2 Arena in his native London, Haye has been the sufferer of, and the cause of, much frustration.

First of all, "The Hayemaker" talked his way into a huge fight with reigning IBF and WBO heavyweight boss Wladimir Klitschko (with a certain little T-short stunt helping Haye land the fight). Then, as we all know, a back injury suffered by Haye in training led to the fight being first postponed and then scrapped for good. Even now, some six or so weeks on from the date of the fight being announced as postponed, many fans are sceptical of the legitimacy of Haye's injury.

At any rate, and without the backing of TV network Setanta, who, of course, went bust shortly after the June 20th fight was called off, Haye looked around for another option and was soon given one. Now landing a fight with Wladimir's big brother, Vitali, the reigning WBC king, Haye was back on for a huge fight. Then, however, things got even more disappointing.

Though he'd moaned about the terms of the contract he'd had to sign to fight Wladimir, Haye did sign it and in so doing he accepted the pretty harsh rematch clause terms involved (where Haye, if he beat "Dr. Steel Hammer," would have to fight him again and then also fight his brother). Just this week, though, Haye came out publicly and said he would not, and never had, signed the contract to fight Vitali, claiming the terms were shocking. Announcing that he wouldn't be a "slave fighter," Haye-Vitali was now off also.

Plan-C was now in operation for Haye and, as has been well covered by all media since its announcement, Haye-Nikolai Valuev is now set for November. This is where some real questions come up and need to be answered. What was the difference, if anything, between the Wladimir contract Haye signed and the Vitali contract he refused to sign? Was there in fact any difference? Did Haye really and honestly want to fight either Klitschko in the first place? What are the terms of the Valuev contract Haye has presumably signed, and is a rematch clause in effect with this fight? Why is Haye now interested in a fight with Valuev when months ago Haye said he was interested in fighting the Klitschkos and them only? And finally, will this fight, scheduled for November 7th, actually take place at all? (see John Ruiz and his appeal plans).

Forget about the name calling and the accusations hurled at Haye and the Klitschkos about their being scared and that it is one or the other who has made two fights fall apart. The bottom line is we don't know what went on behind closed doors. Haye and his team maintain the Klistchkos are almost impossible to deal with, what with the unrealistic terms they insist on making a potential foe agree to. While the Klitschkos and their team say Haye is just a loudmouth who is also a coward who has gotten himself many months of free publicity by claiming he wants a fight with them. You can forget all that, though. What it all boils down to is frustration. Frustration for the three fighters and frustration for fight fans.

But what will happen now? What if official WBA mandatory challenger Ruiz is successful in blocking the Valuev-Haye fight? Could a third Haye fight then be called off? How much more of this maddening saga can the fans take!? Perhaps most annoying is the fact that the fans don't really know who to blame. On this website's comments facility there have been words aimed at the Klitschkos, saying they are the reason for all the frustration. While other comments have attacked Haye and accused him of being afraid to fight either brother.

One thing that mast be agreed on is this; whether Haye is a coward who was simply jerking Wladimir and Vitali around or not, the last eight months cannot have in any way gone as he and Adam Booth had planned and hoped - a peaking and exciting heavyweight banger left on the shelf for the better part of a year! By the time he gets in there with Valuev (again, if he actually does do so) Haye could have, perhaps should have, got a good three fights in beforehand. And that, at the end of the day, is what it should be about for a fighter - fighting!

Is Haye a victim of boxing politics that have simply become absurd here in the twenty-first century? Or is it now possible for a capable mouthpiece of a part-time fighter to reach financial and celebrity status virtually without throwing a punch?

Most of the interest Haye has been given by the fans has been of the can-he-back-up-his-talk variety. The way things are going it is going to be twelve months or more before we are given even a small clue. For although Haye beating Valuev would earn him some plaudits, it will still be no way near enough. Not for a guy who promised us he'd destroy the mighty Klitschkos and allow us to see the birth of a new heavyweight legend.

His fault or not, all Haye has given us this year is frustration.

All-Talk No-Action Haye Avoids His Second Klitschko
Published by Scoop Malinowski on July 23rd, 2009



“Haye is a little, inexperienced kid,” -Wladimir Klitschko

Davey Haye told the boxing world he was going to rid the heavyweight division of the boring, robotic Klitschkos, and be the new star of boxing. He said he’d beat them both easy…

“The Hayemaker doesn’t lie.”

“I can’t wait to go up to the heavyweight division and knock that bum (Wladimir) out.”

“I’m taking this fight to save boxing. I’m doing this for Jack Dempsey, Rocky Marciano, Joe Louis, Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier and all the other great, smaller heavyweights of the past.”

“I feel as though I’ve been sent by all the great heavyweights of yesteryear to clean up and save the heavyweight division.”

“I’m a man on a mission to save boxing from this Eastern European invasion of Ivan Drago clones. The clean-up operation starts with Wladimir on June 20.”

“I’m so pleased we’ve finally managed to get this fight on.”

“Klitschko’s last opponents were cowards and I will knock him out and take his belts back to London. I guarantee I’ll knock him out in spectacular fashion. I’m his worst nightmare. Klitschko will be one of my easiest fights.”

“That’s not all, I will also go and get Vitali’s belt. None of them can stop me. The new world heavyweight champion will soon be David Haye.”

“I’ll be undefeated champion in quick time.”

“I do not lie. There’s nothing they can do. I don’t care how big they are. The bigger they are the harder they fall. I’m coming to get all of you. All of you. You better run. The Hayemaker prevails every time.”

As it turns out, Davey Haye wasn’t telling the truth. My theory for what really happened here is Haye failed to intimidate WBO/IBF champ Klitschko with all the fantasy confident talk. Eventually reality set in and the truth dawned on the immature Haye about what he was up against. He saw the look of death in Wladimir’s eyes at the press conferences, he heard the stern vehemence in his voice, promising to punish and mutilate Haye for all the disrespect. Haye got cold feet and pulled out of the June 20 date with Wladimir with the supposed back injury.

Then WBC champ Vitali Klitschko offered Haye another crack at the _title_ for September. Haye pretended like he wanted the fight, negotiations proceeded. Then suddenly, Haye faked his way out again, taking an offer from Nikolay Valuev, Don King and Wilfried Sauerland.

Aside from Mike Tyson in his worst days, I have never seen such blatant and appalling behavior by a man being offered a chance at the richest, most prestigious _title_ in all of sport. A double-talking, time wasting, posturing phony, Haye has shown himself to be a disgrace to the sport of boxing.

Haye can complain now all he wants about the “slave” contract, but as far back as February, he said everything was agreed on, yet he wouldn’t sign till over a month later.

As managing director of Klitschko Management Group, Bernd Boente has had to deal with Haye’s nonsense for six months and is understandably annoyed. “First of all, I feel sorry for the team of the Commerzbank-Arena and for the boxing fans in the Frankfurt region. We will try to set up another Klitschko fight in this wonderful arena as soon as possible. Also for us, the cancellation was very surprising as we got informed about it through the media. Haye’s manager, Adam Booth, did not even have the courage to give me a call personally and tell me about their decision – for me a sign of his inexistent class. Background of the pull-out are definitely the bad pay-per-view-TV figures of BSkyB in England.”

“The last fights of Ricky Hatton and new English star Amir Khan (last weekend against Andreas Kotelnik) both had very poor sales on TV (Khan vs. Kotelnik less than 30,000 viewers). It was Haye’s desire to _base_ his purse on the British TV earnings.”

“Haye and his manager, whose home _base_ is in the Turkish part of Cyprus for fiscal reasons, seem to have realized all of a sudden, that we have a global economic depression and English boxing fans are not that easily willing to pay 15 pounds for a bout. All the excuses of adhesion contracts are complete rubbish as Haye had already signed the same contract for the fight against Wladimir in June, which also contained a usual rematch clause and a pure Klitschko option. And for that fight he also pulled out. By the way, Vitali and myself attended Haye’s last fight against Monte Barrett at the O2 Arena in London. There were possibly 6.000 fans in a 20.000 seat arena. The guy is not a big draw in England at all. We were always surprised that he expected to get 2.7 million pounds out of the English pay-per-view sales for a fight against Vitali or Wladimir,” Böente continued.

Wladimir Klitschko added, “During the negotiations for my June fight, we realized quickly that Haye and Booth are very unprofessional. Booth might be a good trainer but as a manager he is simply incompetent. David always had a big mouth and tried to offend us with ridiculous self-made t-shirts. But when it comes up to step into the ring and show what he’s got, he runs away. He even admits that fighting Valuev is the easier way. For me Haye is a little, inexperienced kid who is afraid of his own courage. Doubtless, my brother would have knocked him out within the first four rounds.”

Haye’s actions and behavior are unbecoming of a challenger wishing to receive an opportunity to fight for the world heavyweight championship, as one British boxing fan named Craig Hyman stated:

“I feel the way David Haye conducts himself out of the ring, especially towards the Klitschkos, is a disgrace. To have an advert put in a magazine of him holding a decapitated head of Wladimir is just childish and wrong. I think David’s ego and arrogance have got the better of him. Lessons will be learned when he is defeated by one of the Klitschkos, who I might add act in a courteous, mature and respectable manner. I cannot support a boxer who conducts himself like Haye does. To be confident is great and reassuring but to be arrogant is demeaning and unattractive. Act like a gentleman, be respectful to others and earn the right to fight for the heavyweight _title_. Then maybe you will get what you crave…oh and a few more fans!

Q&A: Nikolai Valuev!

By Alexey Potapov

WBA heavyweight champion Nikolai Valuev has given an exclusive interview to Fightnews.com in which he speaks about his upcoming fight against former WBC/WBA/WBO cruiserweight champion David Haye on November 7th in Germany. It had been previously announced that Haye would fight against WBC heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko on September 12, but the British hope then decided to challenge for Valuev’s _title_ instead.

Hello, Niko! I am glad to see you again!

Hi, Alex! Fightnews.com best regards!

Niko, news about your fight with Haye has left many shocked. How quickly did you make a decision to take this fight?

Negotiations were conducted very quickly. It didn’t take long for me to think about and agree to this fight. I am sure that I’m better than him.

You knew that Haye would pull out of the fight with Vitali Klitschko?

Yes, I knew about it, but Vitali has not followed through on his promises. Several months ago Vitali and I spoke by phone and agreed to have a fight between us. Then Vitali stopped speaking to me. I communicated this to my promoter and they informed me that Klitschko doesn’t wish to fight me. What should I do after that? Wait? But by the time of this fight I’ll have not fought for nearly a year. A strong contender is necessary for me. I have chosen Haye. Unlike Team Klitschko, we have quickly come to an agreement with him.

Now having selected Vitali’s planned opponent, do you think this could cost you a fight against the Klitschkos?

If the Klitschko brothers wish to claim all the _title_s, they should fight me.

Haye hasn’t always proved to be a gentleman. You know about his t-shirt depicting the chopped-off heads of the Klitschko brothers. Are you ready for such treatment?

I think that will only make it worse for Haye! He will not distract me from my psychological balance. I have immunity to such things. And if he does manage to provoke me, he will be held responsible in the ring!

Why have you have chosen Haye? He’s not the official challenger on your _title_.

It’s my voluntary defense and I can fight with whomever I want.

The WBA’s mandatory challenger John Ruiz is protesting the fight and demanding through his lawyers that the WBA not authorize a fight between you and Haye.

Who is John Ruiz? To me it’s scandalous that he lives all his life in court in front of a judge. I’ve already beat him two times. I’m much stronger than him. He is not interesting to me as a challenger!

What about the fact that Haye has had only one fight in the division since officially moving to heavyweight?

He was the world champion at cruiserweight. He is very fast and dangerous, but I know that I’ll win. I’ll look at his fights, I’ll study him. I know he likes to talk for long amounts of time, but I will make the fight short.

Haye has stated that he refused the fight against Klitschko because of a bad contract. What conditions did Haye demand?

I don’t know. Ask my promoter. But I think it wasn’t the money. I know that Klitschko offered bad conditions for Haye. I even looked at the contract. These conditions were awful! The Klitschko brothers think only of their own benefit when make contracts for their opponents.

When you will begin preparation for fight?

For two weeks I’ve been preparing for the fight. Now I’m preparing in Russia, then I’ll have my main camp in Germany.

Are you afraid that Haye will pull out of the fight as he did with the Klitschko brothers?

No. After dealing with Ruslan Chagaev, now I’m not afraid of anything.