Tony Bellew 'would like to fight David Haye'
Sunday 29 November 2015 11:59, UK
Tony Bellew has put his hand up as a potential opponent for David Haye, should the two-weight world champion make a return to boxing.
Haye this week announced he has linked up with Carl Frampton's trainer Shane McGuigan, fuelling talk of a comeback more than three years since his last professional bout.
The 35-year-old has not been seen in a competitive fight since knocking out Dereck Chisora in July 2012, and injuries have twice scuppered a huge heavyweight clash with Tyson Fury.
Fury challenges for Wladimir Klitschko's three world titles on Sky Sports Box Office, but Bellew has offered Haye an alternative all-British clash - albeit back down at cruiserweight or a pre-agreed catchweight.
"I would like to fight David Haye, yes," Bellew told World Boxing News. "He's the most successful cruiserweight the country has ever produced and the only man since Evander Holyfield to unify the cruiserweight division."
Bellew's immediate focus is on Mateusz Masternak, who he takes on for the vacant European title on the undercard of Anthony Joshua's Sky Sports Box Office meeting with Dillian Whyte.
But beyond that his sights are set on a meeting with Haye, who sparred with Bellew when he was on the road to winning the WBA, WBC and WBO belts at cruiserweight.
He said: "I believe if David [Haye] wants it enough he can come back down to cruiserweight. He's a good athlete and a top fighter, but he's shown on various occasions that he's vulnerable. I'm a different animal at cruiserweight and I believe I can knock him out.
"We could fight at a catchweight, but that all depends on what we can agree as me versus him is a big fight. We've sparred together before so he knows what I'm about and how good I can be. But that was ten years ago and I've improved massively since then, plus I believe he was in his prime back then.
"I'm after big fights and if it means putting on a few pound to face a great fighter then I'm all for it. My last word on this is: 'David, I'm ready when you are!'"
