On Saturday night, Tony Bellew and David Haye go head-to-head, for the second time, at the O2 Arena in London.
Thursday saw the last press conference held before the event, it proved to be a lively affair.
Prior to the event, the build-up had been in stark contrast to that of the first fight, an encounter that was littered with bad verbal exchanges that saw both fighters fined by the British Boxing Board of Control.
But, with the tension starting to ramp up, both boxers managed to relay the importance of the fight to them.
Haye, looking to avenge the defeat he suffered in the first fight, remarked,
“Everything is on the line here, my reputation, my whole soul.
“My last fight was a stoppage loss. For me, that is the worst finish to any career and it would put a big smudge over my resume.
“It would feel like I have undone all the great fights I have had over the years. I will not allow him to win on Saturday.”
Will Haye, who was resplendent in a hat bearing the word revenge, get the result he craves?
Meanwhile, Bellew goaded Haye, remarking,
“We will remember you for your fantastic nights but Saturday night will not be one of them.
“There will be no rematch David, we will just close the curtain on you.
“You are going to have to do things that you don’t want to do. I promise you, I swear, you are going to have to go to those places.”
With the verbal banter rising a level or two, the venom spilt over in the face-off when Bellew gave Haye an almighty shove that almost saw the London fighter fall over.
PRESSURE COOKER! @TonyBellew shoved @MrDavidHaye as tensions boiled over at their final press conference…
Full story from the presser here: https://t.co/HMvVeeqp6r pic.twitter.com/KddyUJQR7E
— Sky Sports Boxing (@SkySportsBoxing) May 3, 2018
Before Haye could respond a plethora of security men intervened and calm was restored.
Friday will witness the weigh-in, could that encounter be just as venom filled?
