Wait goes on for Haye-Klitschko

David Haye
12 April 2012

David Haye's hopes of securing a career-defining fight against one of the Klitschko brothers have been further undermined after Poland's Tomasz Adamek beat him to the punch.

The WBA heavyweight champion has long pursued a unification showdown with either IBF/WBO champion Wladimir or WBC king Vitali. While Haye and both brothers all have fights scheduled or mandated for the first half of this year, there had been hope that he would still meet one of them in late summer or early autumn.

However, the Klitschkos have confirmed one of them - yet to be decided - will fight former two-weight champion Adamek in his native Poland in September at a newly-built football stadium for the 2012 European Championships.

Both Haye and his manager Adam Booth had promised fans, in the wake of the farcical three-round win against Audley Harrison, that he would meet one or both of the Klitschkos before October 2011. However, Wladimir is meeting Haye's fellow Briton Dereck Chisora in April while Vitali meets mandatory challenger Odlanier Solis in March.

While Haye has a mandated defence of his own, against Ruslan Chagaev, he had still hoped to take on one or both of the Ukrainian siblings before his self-imposed retirement date of October.

That possibility looks even more slim now that Adamek has jumped ahead of him in the queue, with the only possible option being a late summer or early autumn fight with whichever brother does not fight the Pole.

Vitali said: "Adamek is very experienced, fast and a hard-punching opponent. Whether it is Wladimir or me, we have to be very concentrated during the entire fight.

"It is fantastic that a Polish and a Ukrainian boxer will be together in the ring to set the first sports highlight in the run down to the Euro 2012."

Adamek, 34, will discover in April which of the brothers he will face. If both brothers lose their upcoming fights, the deal to fight Adamek would be off. If one loses, he will meet the other. If both win, the duo will decide among themselves who faces the New Jersey-based challenger.

Adamek said: "I'm very happy. I would like to thank the Klitschkos for being very generous with the percentage offer. I am looking forward to this fight. It doesn't make a difference to me which Klitschko I fight. Right now they are both the biggest stars in the boxing world and I want to fight the biggest stars. I'm grateful for the opportunity."

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