Haye vs Bellew: David Haye claims reality is starting to bite for Tony Bellew ahead of heavyweight fight
Friday 3 March 2017 10:01, UK
David Haye says Tony Bellew is starting to show signs of nervousness ahead of their eagerly-awaited heavyweight bout on Saturday night, live on Sky Sports Box Office.
The duo were face-to-face at a news conference on Thursday afternoon and, while Haye was fairly impassive, Bellew tossed a few jibes at his rival.
The build-up to the bout has been marked by bad blood between the British duo, but Haye says Thursday's antics show reality is starting to bite for the Liverpudlian.
"It is just nerves, he is nervous," Haye told Sky Sports News HQ. "He is standing there, looking me in the eyes and he has to talk, that's his MO.
"He is a Chihuahua, a Chihuahua just starts barking. I've got Chihuahuas, I know what they are like. They yap for no reason.
His yapping means nothing to me. I could see in his eyes, he was shook, it has got real now.
"They have to start yapping because they fear the big dog might come and bite them, so yapping might scare away the big dog.
"His yapping means nothing to me. I could see in his eyes, he was shook, it has got real now. It is all good and well, giving all the big talk prior to the fight."
"He knows in just over 48 hours, he is going to be getting in a ring with me.
"None of the cameras, none of the security, none of his friends, it is just me and him in a ring with a pair of 10oz gloves on and a referee, who is going to count to 10 over his limp body."
It has been suggested that Haye is the 'bad guy' in terms of Saturday's showdown but the 36-year says perceptions will count for nothing at The O2.
"It is not about whether I am a nice guy, whether I am a bad guy, whether I am Mother Theresa or an absolute evil, disgusting human being," he said.
"When the bell rings, who cares? Being the nicest guy in the world doesn't help you. Otherwise, Mother Theresa would have been the heavyweight champion of the world.
"Once that bell rings, it is about who is the better athlete, who is faster, who punches harder, who has the better defence, who has the better resume. All these things lead in my favour.
"He is the first guy who has really got under my skin, he has really forced me to get the best out of myself and he is going to be seriously humbled on Saturday night. He has put himself in a real dangerous position.
"He thinks just by eating a load of pork pies and puffing his chest out, he is a heavyweight. It doesn't work like that.
"I have been campaigning as a heavyweight since 2008. This is his first rodeo and, unfortunately for him, he is in with the hardest punching heavyweight on the planet."
Haye says that far from being past his best, he is in the form of his life, but he knows such claims will ring hollow if he does not perform at the weekend.
"I believe so [he is better than ever] but it is all very well saying it, I have to show you on Saturday night," he added.
"This is my opportunity to show the world what the new version of myself is all about."
