Haye is 9/4 to meet and beat Vitali Klitschko after overcoming Chisora
Published:David Haye was one of the big winners on a dramatic night of boxing, his knockout victory over supposed sworn enemy Dereck Chisora significantly strengthening his case for a fight against Vitali Klitschko.
The WBC Heavyweight champion’s brother Wladimir Klitschko defeated Haye last July, but talks over a bout with the older sibling have been conducted since.
The Hayemaker’s negotiating position can only have been enhanced by a fifth-round triumph over an opponent who went the distance with Vitali in Munich in February.
Haye tried to goad the 40-year-old, who has won an absurd 40 of his 46 career contests by knockout, after his Boleyn Ground success, which like another apparent grudge match with Audley Harrison, ended in a warm embrace between the foes.
He said: “It was a scary message. I’d be surprised if he wants to fight now. He will no doubt fight some chump and then retire to be a politician. If he wants to fight me then I’m ready.”
Ladbrokes are already offering odds on the potential showdown, with the Ukrainian a convincing 1/3 favourite and Haye, who had vowed to retire after facing Wladimir only to swiftly change his stance, 9/4 to inflict Vitali’s first loss in over nine years.
It was a far more damaging evening for the other top British competitor in action though as Amir Khan fell to a decisive fourth-round defeat in his WBA and WBC light-welterweight title bout with the unbeaten Danny Garcia in Las Vegas.
Following an encouraging start, he took such a pounding in rounds three and four that a trip to the hospital was required for a precautionary scan.
As this was his second successive loss, the first an angrily disputed split decision reverse to Lamont Petersen, who later failed a drugs test, it is widely considered that his case for landing his dream fight against Floyd Mayweather is ruined.
