David Haye says a fight with Vitali Klitschko will take place next year

Vitali Klitschko: Long-time holder of the WBC title has not had a 'career-defining' fight

David Haye still expects a fight with Vitali Klitschko to take place next year.

The former WBA heavyweight champion has been chasing the veteran WBC title holder for some time, and it is believed the elder Klitschko will fight on if he loses an upcoming parliamentary election in Ukraine.

"In my opinion next year he will want to fight again at some stage and he will want a big fight," Haye said. "I'm the biggest fight out there and he knows that, he's not stupid.

"The biggest fight he had was at two weeks notice against Lennox Lewis and he lost that."
David Haye

"The WBC are happy for me to fight him, they know I'm the only guy out there to challenge him. What's fighting more guys like Manuel Charr going to do for him? He's never had a 'superfight'.

"The biggest fight he had was at two weeks notice against Lennox Lewis and he lost that. Other than that he's never had any big fights, only fighting opponents that people know he could never lose to.

"I really smash my body up to make a fight easy and I wouldn't want to do that for anything other than the richest prize in sport.

"For the WBC title I will punish myself and do what I have to do. Other than that I can't be bothered."

Haye claims contracts have already been signed, with the Brit agreeing to the onerous terms put down by Vitali and his brother Wladimir.

"The fight has already been agreed, the contract's done - the money, the split, everything. We don't need a new contract," said Haye, who suffered a landslide points loss to WBA, IBF and WBO king Wladimir in 2011.

"I will have to have a rematch with Vitali or Wladimir, whoever they decide, then against one of them again after that. As long as I get the opportunity to win that title."