 Haye is the former undisputed cruiserweight world champion |
David Haye's WBA heavyweight title fight with champion Nikolay Valuev will go ahead on 7 November after mandatory challenger John Ruiz moved aside. Ruiz, who had been next in line to face the champion, had threatened to scupper Haye's proposed fight with Valuev, insisting the Russian meet him instead. But a deal has now been struck with Ruiz who has withdrawn his threat. "There is no problem with the Valuev-Haye bout, everything has been sorted," said the Russian's manager Chris Meyer. "We have struck a deal with Team Ruiz for him to step aside. Our attorneys are just putting it in writing.  | 606: DEBATE |
"Once this contract has been signed, we will submit the necessary papers to the WBA by the end of this week." The WBA was expected to rule on the matter in the coming days - most likely in Ruiz's favour - but Meyer's agreement with the American means Haye's dream of winning a world heavyweight title in 2009 is still alive. The showdown is expected to take place in Germany although no venue has been announced yet. Haye, 28, has lost just once in 23 fights and is eight stones lighter and nine inches shorter than Valuev. The Londoner is hoping to become Britain's first heavyweight world champion since Lennox Lewis retired in 2003. Haye had been due to meet Wladimir Klitschko, the IBF and WBO champion, on 20 June but suffered a back injury which led to the fight being cancelled. It had been expected he would then meet WBC heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko in October or November. But Haye opted to meet giant Russian Valuev and will be relieved that a deal with Ruiz has now been struck.
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