David Haye believes that Vitali Klitschko's future political career may be standing in the way of a possible bout with the Ukrainian heavyweight.
The Brit announced last night on Twitter that he had agreed a fight with the 40-year-old, who later said thet he would "love" to knock Haye out.
However, the 31-year-old believes that Klitschko's advisors may be stalling on agreeing to a duel as it could cost them "tens of millions of pounds".
"I think Vitali wants to fight me, because he has got a lot of pride," Haye told the Daily Telegraph. "But I think he's had a lot of money invested in him to become the mayor of Kiev, and potentially the president of Ukraine, and his advisers, and the people who do his negotiating aren't going to let Vitali's ego get in the way of something that could potentially cost him tens of millions of pounds.
"There is so much riding on his political career, he wants to fight guys like Dereck Chisora, who he can guarantee a victory over. Fighting me is not in his interests. The word in Ukraine is that his people cannot afford for him to lose against me, or not knock me out, as he has told the Ukrainian people he will do what his brother could not do and knock me out.
"I've already agreed the finances for the fight. But all of a sudden I am asking for too much money and supposedly making crazy demands. I have agreed to one of my lowest purses for a heavyweight title fight. I understand I'm not the champion now so I can't demand the type of money I would as champion."
Haye lost his WBA Super heavyweight championship to Wladimir Klitschko in Hamburg last year.
