Haye: I’ll Defeat Klitschko, Target Joshua next

hayeDavid Haye will target a fight with Anthony Joshua if the IBF world heavyweight champion overcomes Wladimir Klitschko at Wembley Stadium.

Joshua (18-0 KO18) is preparing to defend his IBF strap against Klitschko (64-4 KO53) in front of 90,000 fans on April 29, with the vacant WBA belt also on the line.

Haye (28-2 KO26) is currently putting the finishing touches on his own preparations for his bout against long-time rival Tony Bellew (28-2-1 KO18) at the O2 Arena on March 4, also live on Sky Sports Box Office.

However, the former WBA champion has taken time out of his training programme to stoke the fire ahead of a potential meeting with Joshua and insisted a clash between himself and the 27-year-old is the

“If AJ beats Klitschko, which I and the rest of Great Britain are hoping he does, any time he is ready to do it I am ready,” the 36-year-old told Sky Sports News HQ.

“I’d have fought him on my first fight back from retirement because I know I can beat him.

“Hopefully, if he wins, his team will have the confidence – David Haye is the biggest fight on the planet, let’s make it happen. The ball is in his court.”

Haye spent three-and-a-half years out of the ring due to injury, but returned in January 2016 under the tutelage of new trainer Shane McGuigan and has since picked up victories over relative unknowns Mark de Mori and Arnold Gjergjaj.

He has insisted he is “best shape of his life” ahead of his bout with WBC world cruiserweight champion Bellew, who will be fighting at heavyweight for the first time.