Golovkin vs Brook: Lee Haskins and Stuart Hall in fractious face-off
Wednesday 7 September 2016 14:46, UK
World champion Lee Haskins appeared to aim a slap at challenger Stuart Hall as the pair clashed at the press conference for Saturday's bout on the Gennady Golovkin v Kell Brook card.
Haskins (33-3-KO14) defends his IBF world bantamweight crown in a rematch with Hall (20-4-2-KO7) and tempers flared when the pair faced-off as insults flew before a coming-together of heads.
Haskins, 32, said: "Where [the animosity] comes from is that I beat him convincingly before and then he won a world title. I was trying to tempt him in to fight me again but he wouldn't and now I've got it and he wants it back.
"It'll be the first show I've ever stolen. I've never been more ready for a fight. My speed and power and everything is just on point. I'm looking forward to showing that to Mr Hall.
"The plan is to put him to sleep within six. We know his gameplan. He can only do one thing and that's come forward. It's what he's going to do and he's going to walk on to things.
"What we've worked on in sparring and training is him closing us down and catching him with the counters. I would say I'd knock the hair off his head but he hasn't got any."
He couldn't knock the skin off a rice pudding. He hasn't got the power.
The 36-year-old Hall, who held the title for six months in 2013-2014, was defeated in a 2012 clash with Haskins but is adamant he will turn the tables.
He said: "He's just trying to get into my head like he did four years ago but nobody's getting in my head. I've worked too hard to get here. I'm going to beat him up. This is my time. Everything has changed and I'm twice the fighter I was.
"My career has had its up and downs but I'm very confident going into this fight. He couldn't knock the skin off a rice pudding. He hasn't got the power.
"I'm bigger, stronger. He might be a bit quicker, I'll give him that, but we've covered every angle and we are going to rip that belt right off him.
"I hope he comes to have a fight and doesn't spoil it by grabbing. I hope the 20,000 crowd don't fall asleep in the first four rounds. I'm going to get back what's rightfully mine.
"My [first world title] fight with Vusi Malinga was a proper fight. An all-out war. People don't want to watch people cuddling."
Watch Haskins v Hall on Gennady Golovkin v Kell Brook, live on Sky Sports Box Office from The O2, on September 10. Book the event via your Sky remote or online here.
