Haye vs Bellew: David Haye can forget Anthony Joshua if he loses to Tony Bellew, says Eddie Hearn
Thursday 2 March 2017 16:07, UK
Promoter Eddie Hearn has admitted that David Haye's hopes of a fight with Anthony Joshua will be ended forever if he loses to Tony Bellew.
Joshua has thrown his support behind Bellew ahead of this Saturday's grudge fight with Haye at The O2, live on Sky Sports Box Office, and will be watching from ringside.
Haye has called for a fight with Joshua in recent weeks, but Hearn believes the IBF heavyweight champion would be happy for Bellew to finally end any talk of this British battle.
"I don't think he's the biggest fan of David Haye," Hearn told Sky Sports. "I have seen a few interviews lately with AJ, where he's not bit, but sort of said I don't like that guy.
"We're looking at unification fights, the David Haye fight with Joshua is a big fight, but on Sunday that fight might not be existing ever again.
"He likes Bellew and Bellew is with us, and AJ is with us, so obviously he's going to want his stablemate to win the fight.
"We're looking at unification fights, the David Haye fight with Joshua is a big fight, but on Sunday that fight might not be existing ever again. We have to see what happens.
"AJ will be there. He'll be ringside for Sky Sports. He'll be watching and taking it all in - like he always does.
"As far as AJ is concerned, and us of course, we only want one thing and that's a Tony Bellew win."
Haye directed a foul-mouthed tirade at Bellew's fans during Monday's press conference in Liverpool and Hearn believes the former two-weight world champion has lost the support of the public.
He added: "When you talk about the man on the street, when you talk about people queuing outside that arena now, who are coming to the workout, they were coming up to me and saying: 'I'm desperate for Tony Bellew to knock him out.'
"The only accent I can hear is a London accent, they are not Scousers."
