David Haye aiming to regain world heavyweight title, still wants Vitali Klitschko

David Haye says he's not coming back to prove anything, like fellow Brit Ricky Hatton unsuccessfully did last November, but instead to regain a world heavyweight title, and hopefully soon:

"I am just here to win the world heavyweight title back and to do that I need regular fights. I know I've still got it. There were rumblings from Vitali saying he would retire, but then he said he was staying so it is all up in the air who I could fight.

"I'm a couple of fights away from getting myself in a mandatory position and it will put the spotlight on the Klitschkos to fight me. I think Vitali wants to fight me but people around him don't and I know for a fact his trainer doesn't."

Haye (26-2, 24 KO) will return to the ring on June 29, and though an opponent has not been announced, early thoughts are that it will be a sort of tune-up opponent, as Haye, as he says, is looking to force his way into a title shot via a mandatory ranking, which is probably wise given how notoriously difficult he is to negotiate with, which is not a knock on Haye or Adam Booth, just a reality. He has value, and knows it.