David Haye has a mandatory fight, but will try for Klitschko

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Newly crowned World Boxing Assn. heavyweight champion David Haye of England is staring at a mandatory title defense against big John Ruiz, but his promoter said Saturday ‘there are ways around that,’ and plans to initiate conversations to land a fight with one of the other world champion Klitschko brothers.

Richard Schaefer of Golden Boy Promotions told The Times he will next week begin trying to coordinate a unification bout against either Vitali or Wladimir Klitschko.

Haye suffered a broken hand bone in his majority decision victory over Nikolai Valuev on Nov. 7, but Wladimir Klitschko has a title defense against Eddie Chambers in March so there’s time to heal. HBO is believed to be highly interested in helping a Haye-Klitschko bout happen next year.

Schaefer said the brash Haye is what the slumbering heavyweight division needs.

‘He has the looks, the skills, the charisma and the punch,’ Schaefer said. ‘We’ve all been waiting for the next exciting heavyweight, and he’s here: David Haye. And people want to see him in there now against the Klitschkos.’

-- Lance Pugmire