David Haye is hoping for a “mega-showdown” with Ukraine’s WBC heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko after stripping Russian giant Nikolai Valuev of the WBA belt at the weekend.

The Briton, who overcame a colossal weight and height disadvantage to outpoint the towering “Beast from the East” in Germany on Saturday, must next fight the WBA’s mandatory American challenger John Ruiz.

Klitschko, whose brother Vladimir holds the IBF, IBO and WBO heavyweight belts, is scheduled to take on American Kevin Johnson in Berne, Switzerland, on Dec. 12.

“I am ready to fight anyone in the world and I have right now the same belt as Muhammad Ali, Lennox Lewis, Evander Holyfield and George Foreman,” Klitschko told BBC radio on Sunday.

“I am ready to show everyone that I am the strongest in the world,” he added. “I am ready at any time to give him (Haye) a fight and knock him out.” Haye, who spoke of his desire to “clean up the division” after stunning the tallest and heaviest world champion of all time in Nuremberg, said he was up to the challenge.

“Let’s get it on, let’s make it happen,” said the 29-year-old Londoner, Britain’s first heavyweight champion since Lennox Lewis retired six years ago.

“He’s got a fight in December, I hope he wins his fight and wish him luck with that one. I’ve got to get John Ruiz out of the way and then we can make a mega-showdown next year. I’m looking forward to that.”

HURT HAND

Haye had been due to fight Vladimir Klitschko earlier in the year but the bout fell through due to the Briton being injured.

He had also been planning to fight Vitali in September until the Valuev fight was made.

“Ruiz is the mandatory challenger for the WBA so if I don’t fight him they’ll take the title off me so I don’t fancy giving up the title after winning it,” said Haye.

“So it will be John Ruiz (next) and hopefully that will be in the UK. I definitely want to have another homecoming fight

... it would be amazing if I could fight John Ruiz in London.

“We haven’t thought about dates, I’ve got to see how my hand heals. I’ve got to go and get an X-ray and see the extent of the break and take it from there.”

Haye said after Saturday’s fight that he feared he had broken his hand in the early rounds while Ruiz, who fought the same night, suffered a bad cut over his eye and is also likely to be out of action for a while.

Haye’s performance, after all the trash-talking in the build-up, drew plaudits at home.

“I thought he had the talent and the speed and ability to beat the guy,” said retired heavyweight Frank Bruno.

“It took a lot of guts to come from cruiserweight to move up to heavyweight and fight a man mountain like he did. And he stuck to his guns.”

“King David Slays Russian Giant,” boomed the Mail on Sunday in a headline. “Hayelelujah!” exclaimed the News of the World.

Haye said it was a lifelong ambition fulfilled.

“I said to anyone that would listen that I’d be heavyweight champion of the world. I am that now, so I’ve got a big grin on my face,” he declared after a night partying with family and friends.

- Reuters