Today the first of what could be many press-conferences relating to the forthcoming heavyweight non-title fight between David Haye and Tony Bellew took place.
We were expecting the verbal insults to fly but what we wasn?t expecting was for it to almost develop into a brawl.
The two fighters will never be the best of friends and David Haye probably touched a few nerve-endings when he remarked,
‘I have been out of the game and these big fights.
‘The last two weren’t well known. This is the first big fight the fans are excited about.
‘In the time I’ve been out I’ve watched social media to see what is on the scene and it all looks like the Eddie Hearn show. This is my chance to shut his big mouth.
‘The only thing he put his foot down on is putting his name down first on the promotion. A promoter promotes his fighters, not himself. It is about Haye v Bellew.
‘I can’t wait to see the look on Eddie and all his team’s face when I end Bellew. And then when I’ve done that I will end Anthony Joshua.
‘I could go out clubbing every single night of my life and get smashed every night, I could turn up drunk out of my head and still knock him out.
‘I will end the fight when I want to.’
Prompting Bellew to reply,
‘While he went missing partying in clubs, I have been fighting. I stayed in the gym. I want to fight I enjoy fighting.
‘He hates it, he doesn?t like it but he has to fight. He doesn?t want to be here.
‘He has that many demands, rings size etc.
‘The demands are unbelievable. My demand was to pick your own gloves and get in the ring.?
With the tension rising and the two boxers going eye-to-eye a shoving match broke out during which Haye appeared to throw a punch at Bellew, prompting the Everton supporting fighter to further remark,
‘He can be shook and he can be hurt. He is nothing special. He got angry and shaken. I have never seen him so shaken.
‘I am cool. I am from somewhere he can’t imagine. I am used to drama.
‘I am shocked he has thrown a punch at me. I don’t want our sport to put across like this. I have pushed him to get him out of my face and he has thrown a punch.’
To which Haye responded,
‘If he thinks that’s a punch he has another thing coming. It is unnecessary. I never initiate things unless I feel threatened. I didn’t really feel that but I was aware he might try something.
‘You are on guard. Even if he had hit me with a big shot on the chin nothing would have happened. I am a superior human specimen. I was hoping for more security between us.
‘He can think whatever he wants. Anyone who understands boxing knows a big man beats a little man.
‘I don’t know why Eddie Hearn was narrating this? Once again, he wants to make it all about Eddie.’
Things are shaping up nicely I?d suggest.
Haye v Bellew ? First Punch Thrown
