Adamek will be tougher than Haye, insists Vitali Klitschko

World heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko said WBC challenger Tomasz Adamek of Poland will be a tougher opponent than Britain’s David Haye.

Klitschko, 40, defends his WBC heavyweight belt against Adamek, 34, in Wroclaw, Poland on September 10, but Klitschko is eager to set up a bout with former heavyweight champion Haye who has said he plans to retire in October.

Younger brother Wladimir Klitschko beat Haye in Hamburg in July to add the WBA title to the IBF and WBO belts he already holds and between them the Ukrainian siblings dominate the heavyweight division.

But Vitali also wants to beat Haye, who irritated the Ukrainian brothers with plenty of trash talk before his defeat in Hamburg.

“David Haye is only the world champion in talking, Adamek is clearly the better boxer,” Klitschko told the German magazine TV-movie.

“(Adamek) has character, a good technique and good boxing skills.

“This is a battle – Tomasz will give everything.”

Adamek, who has stepped up from the light heavyweight division, has an impressive record with 28 knock-outs from 44 wins with just one defeat.

Vitali, who has 39 knock-outs from 41 wins with just two defeats, has made no secret of his desire to “put David Haye in the dust” before the Brit decides to hang up his gloves before his 31st birthday on October 13.

Since he lost the heavyweight unification bout with Wladimir Klitschko, Haye has kept silent on his future plans, leaving confusion over whether he intends to box on.