Hand Injury Forces David Haye To Cancel Wladimir Klitschko Bout

(Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)

The upcoming heavyweight fight between David Haye and Wladimir Klitschko—the IBF, IBO, and WBO champion—has been cancelled due to a hand injury sustained by Haye during training.

Haye (22-1, 21 KOs) and Klitschko (52-3, 46 KOs) were set to do battle on June 20 in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, in what was considered to be one of the most anticipated heavyweight title fights in recent years.

Haye's injury was confirmed by Setanta Sports earlier today, but details of the severity of the injury have yet to emerge from Haye's camp.

Klitschko's co-manager, Shelley Finkel, has told BoxingScene.com that their camp received an e-mail from Haye's attorney notifying them of the injury early this morning.

Haye will have to undergo a medical examination to assess the injury, but initial reports suggest the fight may simply be postponed until September later this year.

"I am not hearing that the injury is anything serious," boxing commentator Steve Bunce told Setanta Sports News.

Currently, the Klitschko team is considering possibly replacing Haye on June 20 with WBA champion Nikolai Valuev, whose fight against Ruslan Chagaev on Saturday was also cancelled.

“I’m speechless," Klitschko told a press conference at his training camp in Austria this afternoon. "We will have to get someone else in. I will take whoever it is. I’ve been waiting for Haye for half of the year now, so I have to fight."

Over 60,000 tickets have been sold for the fight at the Veltins Arena in Gelsenkirchen.

Haye did much to promote the fight in Britain, Germany, and the U.S. by visibly infuriating Klitschko with his taunts. They included publicly calling him "Bitchko" and donning a t-shirt representing Haye holding the severed heads of both Wladimir and his brother Vitali, the WBC heavyweight champion.

Nevertheless, Klitschko refused to use Haye's pull-out as an opportunity to retaliate.

"I will not throw garbage at the person who is down on the floor, which is David Haye right now," he said. "I won't kick a man when he is down, even if he would to me."

It is believed Haye will hold a press conference to address the cancellation in London next week.

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