David Haye Says Emanuel Steward Wants to Train Him to Fight Vitali Klitschko

David Haye is continuing to stir the pot just four days ahead of his massive world heavyweight championship showdown with Wladimir Klitschko. Today, he claims that Wladimir's trainer Emanuel Steward offered to train him to face Vitali Klitschko in the future:

"Manny and I got on really well. I have a lot of respect for what he has done in the sport. ... Manny even said he'd love to train me after I've bashed up Wladimir, his own fighter, on July 2. He reckoned that if we joined forces I would be in prime position to take down his brother Vitali later in the year. He was deadly serious about it, too. ... It's also good to know he has as little faith in Wladimir Klitschko as I do."

This is one of the funnier bits of the promotional hype so far, I think, because it's either ludicrously absurd or it's true, which in itself would be kind of funny. It's not like it would be the first time something like this has made headlines with Steward -- many reported that Steward had serious interest in training Kelly Pavlik after Pavlik beat Jermain Taylor back in 2007. Manny, like basically all trainers, is pretty much a mercenary. He goes where he's of use and where he'll be paid well.

Of course, Steward flatly denies the claim, but it's not like he could go, "Yeah, well, sure, I said that." And Haye, of course, says that Adam Booth is the best trainer in the world and he wouldn't leave him, anyway.

Mostly I just find this funny, though. I think you kind of have to laugh at this one.