Haye vs Wlad, July 2nd, Imtech Arena in Hamburg

[boxingbantz]

And we're off:

#Wladimir Klitschko will be dreaming he's sleeping on an iceberg after i've knocked him out cold in Hamburg on 2 Jul ...zzzz

World heavyweight champions David 'The Hayemaker' Haye and Wladimir Klitschko will officially collide and attempt to unify WBA/IBF/WBO and IBO championships on Saturday, July 2nd at the 57,000-capacity Imtech Arena in Hamburg, Germany.

The hard-hitting heavyweights have eyed up one another for the best part of three years now, and today's confirmation finally pairs them together in the hope of bringing clarity to boxing's marquee division.

“It's great to finally find out the date and venue,” said WBA titleholder Haye, 25-1 (23 KO) in his professional career. “I've been training for this fight since the end of 2010 and it's nice to now have a concrete date to work towards.

“Hamburg is an accessible city for a lot of British fans, so I'm expecting a huge turnout for what is undoubtedly the biggest boxing event of the year. We're going to have an army of Brits invading Germany on July 2nd and I can't wait to sample the atmosphere.

“I think every city in mainland Europe and beyond wanted to stage this fight, and that shows just what an appealing event it is. Personally, I wasn't bothered where the fight ended up. I'd fight Wladimir anywhere, so long as the location comes with a ring and a referee that can count to ten. By the time I've finished with Wladimir, he won't know where he is anyway.”

The 30-year-old Haye secured his WBA belt in November 2009, when he trekked to Nuremberg, Germany to topple 7'2 Russian behemoth Nikolay Valuev. 'The Hayemaker' then successfully defended the crown twice in 2010, defeating both John Ruiz and Audley Harrison within the scheduled distance.

The 35-year-old Klitschko, meanwhile, first won the WBO version of the title in October 2000, and has enjoyed two stints as champion of that particular organisation. Nicknamed 'Dr. Steelhammer', Klitschko, 55-3 (49 KO), has also grabbed IBF and IBO belts along the way and most recently knocked out Samuel Peter to retain all three.

“I've said from day one that I am Wladimir's toughest opponent to date, and I stand by that,” said Haye. “Wladimir has a history of being knocked out by fast punchers, and I punch faster than every other heavyweight in the world. I'm also dedicated, disciplined and ambitious, unlike many of Klitschko's previous opponents.

“Corrie Sanders' mind was on the putting green, and he still managed to knock Wladimir out with a left hand. I've got no doubt Wladimir will freeze like an iceberg when I hit him on the chin in Hamburg. He won't know how to react, will panic, attempt to run for cover and then realise big brother Vitali is in the corner mopping up tears with a white towel.”