David Haye vows to turn back clock and smash Tony Bellew before setting up heavyweight showdown with Anthony Joshua
Bellew is looking for 'repeat' of last year's victory over Haye, but the 37-year-old is adamant he will be victorious on the night
DAVID HAYE is promising an “explosive” victory against Tony Bellew that will set him up to clean up the heavyweight division.
On May 5 at The O2 Arena in London, Haye gets his chance at redemption after Bellew secured an 11th-round stoppage victory in their first fight back on March 4 last year.
And just as he was last time around, Haye is supremely confident that he has the skills in his locker to get the win – and he hopes there are no excuses on the night.
Speaking exclusively to SunSport, the 37-year-old said: “I hope his [Bellew’s] training camp has gone as well as mine has as I want to be a clear and concise victor on the night as he was the clear victor on March 4.
“But that fight left as many questions as answers, this time round I want a clear and conclusive and decisive victory and a fight that everyone will remember for years to come.
“I hope he is in tip-top condition as am I so we can both go to war and give the fight the fans crave.”
Last year disaster struck for Haye as he snapped his Achilles in the sixth-round of their heavyweight contest.
Essentially fighting off one leg, Haye managed to last until the 11th round before he was knocked through the ropes and his corner chucked in the towel.
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He added: “On his best day and my worst day, he wasn’t able to put me on my back. So coming into this fight fully loaded, I can’t really see what he can do.
“I’ve been knocked down many times, I’ve been badly hurt, and I wasn’t badly hurt in any of the rounds.
“Even in the later rounds when I was stumbling around, he wasn’t able to hit me with a shot where I thought ‘I can’t take that again’.”
And despite admitting he will retire if he loses to Bellew again, Haye is already looking ahead to more challenges in boxing.
This could even include the mouthwatering prospect of a fight against fellow Brit and multiple world champ Anthony Joshua.
He said: “If I can beat Bellew in good fashion then I will have a look at the heavyweight scene, whoever has all the belts, and you never know.
“If I can rewind the clock, then the heavyweight division is looking really tantalising.”
The rematch was originally scheduled for November last year, but that fell through after Haye picked up another knock, this time tearing his bicep after a ‘freak injury’ in training.