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Haye vs Bellew: Boxers past and present on their favourite celebrities sat ringside

Hatton, Briggs, Malignaggi, Moore, Froch, Nelson and more

David Haye

David Haye has plenty of celebrity friends like Dizzee Rascal, Jeremy Piven and Jamie Foxx, and many famous faces are expected to be in attendance when the Hayemaker faces Tony Bellew at The O2.

So we asked fighters past and present about the biggest stars who sat ringside to watch them fight...

Jamie Moore

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 6:  Cristiano Ronaldo of Manchester United poses with boxer Jamie Moore
Image: Jamie Moore met Cristiano Ronaldo before he became the world's best

It was 2003 when I made my first defence of the British title against Gary Logan, there were a few United players there and Cristiano Ronaldo was one of them. Rio Ferdinand was there, I think Nani was there but Ronaldo was the one I remember being there.

I passed them on my way back [to the dressing room] after the fight and I shouted out to Ronaldo. Five years later, when I was initially supposed to fight for the European title, I went to Carrington and I was having some pictures done and Ronaldo said he remembered me, which was nice.

Paulie Malignaggi

HOLLYWOOD, CA - FEBRUARY 26:  Actor Denzel Washington attends the 89th Annual Academy Awards at Hollywood & Highland Center on February 26, 2017 in Hollywo
Image: Denzel Washington was at one of Paulie Malignaggi's fights

I saw David Beckham and Jason Statham in the front row during my fight with Ricky Hatton, but they were there for him!

I remember seeing Denzel Washington in the front row at one of my earlier fights, when I fought on the undercard of Vitali Klitschko vs Kevin Johnson. Denzel was there in the front row. Sylvester Stallone was at one of my fights. You see some cool faces throughout the years!

Carl Froch

BERLIN, GERMANY - OCTOBER 28:  Actor Daniel Craig attends the German premiere of the new James Bond movie 'Spectre' at CineStar on October 28, 2015 in Berl
Image: Carl Froch believes 007 might have been at Wembley Stadium

I believe it was James Bond, Daniel Craig, at Wembley. But I didn't stop and have a look round at who was there, I pretty much ran into the ring. I've been told he was there, but I didn't see him and to be honest, it was quite busy and he is a bit short, isn't he?

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Shannon Briggs

la chanteuse am?ricaine Whitney Houston embrasse son ?poux Bobby Brown, le 11 novembre1999 ? Dublin, apr?s avoir re?u le prix pour la meilleure interpr?te
Image: The late Whitney Houston and The Cannon's friend Bobby Brown

Whitney Houston, when I fought Lennox Lewis. She was sat behind me yelling and screaming for me, it was amazing. I knew she was going to be there because her and Bobby Brown came to see me before the fight.

Bobby was a friend if mine so he just dropped by to say they'd be there so it was great. Rest in peace Whitney Houston.

Paul Smith

SAN FRANCISCO, CA - MARCH 23:  Actor Alfie Allen attends the premiere of HBO's 'Game of Thrones' Season 5 at San Francisco Opera House on March 23, 2015 in
Image: Was Alfie Allen there to watch Paul Smith?

You know what, I can say Jon Snow [Kit Harrington] and Alfie Allen from Game of Thrones were at my last fight. It was probably for Gennady Golovkin against Kell Brook and not me!

The biggest celebrities at my fight came when I was in The Contender - they brought along Shane Mosley, Oscar De La Hoya and Sugar Ray Leonard. The drummer out of the Foo Fighters, Taylor Hawkins, was there too.

Jim McDonnell

Cassius Clay (later Muhammad Ali)
Image: The Greatest was impressed by Jim McDonnell's dancing

No one can top Muhammad Ali... ever... ever, ever, ever! It was at Wembley when Frank Bruno fought Tim Witherspoon and I beat Salvatore Bottiglieri for the European title as chief support.

When I got out of the ring, I met The Greatest and Sugar Ray Leonard and I will never forget Ali saying to me, 'Man, who taught you to dance like that?' I don't remember seeing him on my way in but to meet the greatest sportsman ever, on my way back to the dressing room, was so humbling.

Kevin Mitchell

BERLIN, GERMANY - JANUARY 29:  Ray Winstone gestures during 'The Crime' Berlin photocall at Hotel de Rome on January 29, 2013 in Berlin, Germany.  (Photo b
Image: Kevin Mitchell and Ray Winstone are fellow Hammers... and friends

The person I like the most out of everyone is Ray Winstone. I got invited down to his box one day at West Ham and thought they were taking the mickey so sent a message back telling Ray where to go. I then realised it was not a joke.

He's a blinding, lovely man. He said he was coming to one fight, but whether he was there or not, I don't know. West Ham players used to come along to my fights. Mark Noble, Jack Collison, Kevin Nolan, Joe Cole, they all used to come.

Johnny Nelson

Model Linda Lusardi wears a tropical print cotton sundress from the Spring and Summer Collection of Richards
Image: Johnny Nelson had a crush on Linda Lusardi

It was 1990, Sheffield City Hall, my first world title fight against Carlos De Leon and Linda Lusardi was there. Linda was my pin-up back then and when I walked out and saw her, I just thought, 'Wow! Are you joking?'

I had a big crush on her and I'd thought she'd come to see me. Turned out, I believe, that she was going out with a guy from Sheffield.

Adam Booth

HOLLYWOOD, CA - NOVEMBER 10:  Actor Will Smith attends the Centerpiece Gala Premiere of Columbia Pictures' "Concussion" during AFI FEST 2015 presented by A
Image: Will Smith and Adam Booth met at a Playboy Mansions boxing fight

It's hard to quantify but when David Haye boxed at the Playboy Mansions at the start of his career, they had an after party like they did once a year, in the back garden, and there was Will Smith and James Caan there.

Obviously I was there as David's trainer and was standing next to them both at the hot dog cart, waiting for the fried onion tongs!

Ricky Hatton

LAS VEGAS - DECEMBER 08:  Actors Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt talk before the fight between Ricky Hatton of England and Floyd Mayweather Jr. prior to their
Image: Ricky Hatton snubbed Brangelina after losing to Floyd Mayweather

Where do I start? Fighting top of the bill in Las Vegas obviously helped in answering this question, although especially against Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao, it's hard to pick one out. So I am going to go for two: Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie after the Mayweather fight.

I wasn't looking at the crowd before the fight but they were in the dressing room. But I was so devastated by that loss, I didn't talk to anyone, not even those two.

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