The problem with being heavyweight champion of the world is that everyone wants to fight you. While David Haye enjoys the helicopters, talk-shows and adulation of being the champ, a growing band of foes are lining up the Bermondsey fighter in their sights.
Haye makes his first title defence against John Ruiz on April the 3rd, should he successfully come through that the victor, as predicted, a wave of opponents will be unleashed upon him, as more and more people have started to call out "The Hayemaker".
Both the Klitschkos have been gunning for Haye since he announced his plans to compete as a heavyweight. He has been vocal in his intentions to unify the title and far from complementary to Messer's Vitali and Wladamir. The Hayemaker's brash persona really seems to have rubbed the brothers up the wrong way, a scheduled match-up with Wladimir a year ago fell apart after Haye withdrew citing a back injury, but they have not forgotten about the British fighter.
Vitali has announced that 2010 will be his last year as a boxer and so Haye needs to move quickly to fight him. Vitali is trying to line up a fight against Haye victim Nicolay Valuev and may not have time to squeeze in the Bermondsey boy. The Klitschkos have always kept the Haye-hating in the family and if Vitali can't fight him Wladimir will. However, Vitali is by far the better of the two despite the fact Wladamir holds the more belts and is the younger of the duo. Haye will want to take on the veteran, behind his fast talking mouth is an astute businessman and he always wants to generate as much publicity as he can. Beating Vitali in his last ever fight will certainly do that.
The Klitschko brothers aren't the only ones who want a piece of Haye. Legendary light-heavyweight Bernard Hopkins also fancies a crack at the WBA heavyweight strap. There seems to be no stopping Hopkins in terms of age, he is now 45 and is still rated as one of the world's top pound-for-pound fighters.
First "The Executioner" must face his old nemesis Roy Jones Jnr, as the two replay a match-up originally staged way back in 1993. However, he wants to end his career with a bang and stepping-up to the big boys and taking a world title will achieve that. Hopkins says of Haye, "Haye is not a giant heavyweight - he's big but not that big. Roy Jones went up from light heavyweight to heavyweight and beat John Ruiz and I know I can do the same."
Then there is a certain Audley Harrison. The Olympian seems to think he is back in business and has lined up Haye for an all British title battle. How "Fraudley" is in world title contention I don't know, it is just a sad indictment of the heavyweight division. He is set to face Albert Sosnowski for the European title in April and that could be his gateway to a world title fight, a remarkable comeback it would be too. Although in typical Harrison fashion he has branded Haye "not a big enough name" for him. He said that he would rather face a Klitschko instead. This from a man who was knocked out by a rotund Martin Rogan, he should just be grateful anyone has any interest in him at all.
First Haye must take on Ruiz and "The Quietman" may prove a tougher opponent than Haye thinks. The American likes to get in tight and spoil fights. Haye's marauding, fast-showman-like style will be quite be a contrast to Ruiz's slugging. However, it will surely be a better spectacle than him dancing around a ring with the giant Valuev, but no way near as bizarre.
The Klitschko brothers remain top of Haye's hit list, but in order to get to them he may have to work through a catalogue of other boxers first. Haye is quickly finding out that when you are number one, everyone is out to get you.
It's tough at the top.
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