How smart or stupid are David Haye and Adam Booth for ducking the Klitschkos ?

The past isn't part of it. If Haye generates the money, he deserves a fair cut of it. Without contract terms being introduced that are different to what was agreed.

 

I fail to understand how Haye generated more money. His fights are shown in the UK and only a few other countries. There not shown live in the US or Germany which along with the UK are the largest buyers. Even if he gets 1million PPV buys which he would get £5million. Klitsckos may only get £2mil from Germany but they also sell there fights in 100+ countries where they are superstars.....and Haye isn't.

Regarding the different contract terms, that was happening in "the past" and not the most recent negotiations where Haye was offered 50-50.

Wladamir was happy to fight Haye in England in June 2009 at Stamford Bridge. Hayemaker pulled out of the deal.
Wladamir was ready to fight Haye in June 2009 in Germany. Haye pulled out with a back injury.
Vitali was prepared to fight Haye in Septrember 2009. Haye pulled out to fight Valuev.
Wladamir was prepared to fight Haye in September 2010 and K2 offered Hayemaker a 50-50 revenue split with no future options. Haye refused.

 

Not how Dave Coldwell told it...

The other stuff is just you deciding you know what happened when none of us know the facts. I'm not defending Haye or the brothers in particular, I just like to know the genuine facts rather than a bunch of supposition.

On your four points, well spin it however you want. I don't know much about the first one, other than they opted for Germany. I expect, while a back injury was involved, the Setanta collapse meant it was stupid to take that fight. Can't really blame him for pulling out.

He never agreed anything with Vitali - he had terms and decided to go a different way.

We don't know the real terms of the Wlad-Haye fight - but I'm more inclined to believe Coldwell's take than anyone else.

 

No mate thats exactly how Dave Coldwell told it. When Coldwell was on here using that as an excuse, he was talking about the Vitali September 2009 deal.

Either way you can't take Coldwell's word as gospel as he is hugely bias.

There were never any formal or informal contract sent for the 2010 fight just verbal negotiations.

You gotta look at it this way, why does every US based journalist see Haye as a ducker? Steve Kim, Dan Rafael, Thomas Hauser, Burt Suger, Gabriel Montoya, Doug Fischer have all said Haye is ducking. These are guys thats speak to Hayes US promoter Goldenboy every week.

I understand that you wan't to know facts......but in boxing we never get close to them. So we have to make our opinion based on the little that we do no. Both sides have told the same story about the latest negotiations, so you have to think its close to the truth. Haye didn't say anything about options, he didn't say anything stipulations like no medical fees or germans refs, or 3 Ukrainian judges. He never said the fight isn't happening because of money. We know that the amount of money he talking about. Klitsckos German TV contract is worth £2million a fight. The max he is going to get more from another broadcaster was £1million and that highly unlikely as his fights are not shown in Germany. So the fight isn't happening over £1million which means £500k to Haye which would be 5% of his purse. Add to that the fact Booth and Haye must have known the Klitsckos cannot break an exclusive contract with a broadcaster.

DF you have to tell me at what point would you say to me "ok, he doesn't want the fight". If haye brings up the Chagaev mandatory excuse would you see he doesn't fancy it. The Klitsckos 5 fight deal with RTL will be up, there will be know more excuses.

 

Mate, I can make my own mind up. Journalists and columnists are good sources, but not gospel on any topic - especially when they say things like "ducking". They have their opinions, I've seen no convincing evidence of either side's story, so I remain firmly on the fence.