Friday 25 November 2016 16:15, UK
Johnny Nelson is friends with both David Haye and Tony Bellew but will definitely be caught in the middle when it comes to The Gloves Are Off and believes there is little to choose between them in the ring...
The build-up to this fight is going to be amazing. This is no knee-jerk reaction or hype, this feud has been going on a while.
I remember Tony Bellew talking about a fight with David Haye even before he won the WBC cruiserweight title and that little fracas back then.
This is going to get low down and dirty. We will all be, at some stage, sat there, jaw dropping in amazement. I can't wait.
That got everyone interested, talking about it, and then after the BJ Flores fight, well, I don't think you need reminding. Bellew knows how to play the game and touch a nerve when he is taking on a serious opponent, with so much at stake.
This is going to get low down and dirty. We will all be, at some stage, sat there, jaw dropping in amazement. We know what Bellew is like and can do but don't forget David is no fool either. I can't wait.
The Gloves Are Off is going to be mad. Forget about pushing or shoving, it will be verbal warfare at its best. We know David is cool and calm on the exterior but we know Bellew will bring stuff up to try and draw him into his kind of fight.
Another thing I can't wait to see is what weight David's coming in at. For him, the lighter he is, the better he will be. The worse thing I can see him doing is coming in heavy and trying just to put it on Bellew. That will be a big mistake.
Both of these are my mates, so I want to see David as light as he can be, on-point and I hope we finally get to see the new David being as good as the old one.
I see Bellew coming in around 15st, but don't forget he boxed as a heavyweight as an amateur and obviously, David is not like a David Price or Anthony Joshua when it comes to size.
Weight-wise, there's nothing between them. The same with their reach and even their career stats, you will see how even this could actually be.
It is going to be a giddy rollercoaster all the way into the ring and I think this is going to be a thrilling fight, as long as it lasts. I am not going to give my prediction yet, but I think this will be closer than everyone expects.
They have sparred before and Bellew has said Haye can bang, he can bang hard, but insists he can take his shots. The question is can Haye take his? He says Haye took a knee when they sparred when Tony was an amateur and David was British champion, and that still has him thinking he can beat him.
Also, if you look at the new David Haye era, I am sure Bellew isn't impressed with that either. And are any of us? We just haven't seen quality opposition that proves his speed, his pace and movement are still there, or if he is still the same fighter.
But there is one thing: David Haye is no fool. He will already have a plan in his head how to beat his opponent - and sitting ringside last time Bellew fought, he will be certain.
People will be saying Bellew is taking a risk, but it is a calculated risk. No one is expecting him to pull it off, but he is the world cruiserweight champion going in against a small heavyweight we have hardly seen for the past few years.
