12th July, 2012
David Haye has vowed to “kill” British heavyweight rival, Dereck Chisora, when they meet in a grudge boxing bout at Upton Park on Saturday.
Former world champion, Haye, clashed with Chisora at a news conference in Munich in February, paving the way for the controversial fight.
“He’s not a nice man,” said Haye. “He’s a horrible, spiteful man and a bully.
“The law hasn’t punished him and the British Boxing Board hasn’t punished him. So it’s left to me to punish him.”
Chisora, three years younger than Haye at 28, countered: “I’m going to be crazy, mental. My medication is wearing off now.
“He’s got speed for one round – after I dance with him he’s not going to have any speed. I know for a fact that there are question marks over his stamina and we’ll find that out.”
Haye and Chisora came to blows following the latter’s WBC world title defeat by Vitali Klitschko, before Chisora threatened to shoot his domestic rival.
Chisora also slapped Vitali at the weigh-in and spat water in the face of his opponent’s brother, Wladimir, moments before the bout.
Neither boxer currently holds a British boxing licence; Haye was officially retired at the time of the brawl, while Chisora’s was consequently revoked by the British Boxing Board of Control, nor the fight has been sanctioned by the Luxembourg Boxing Federation.
But Haye said the crowd of 30,000-plus expected at West Ham United’s ground on Saturday( 29,000 tickets have been sold) proved those condemning the bout were wide of the mark and that “everyone wants to see this fight”.
Chisora said: “If Haye knocks me out, I will give £20,000 to the Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children.
“If I knock Haye out, then he has to give the same amount to the charity of his choice.”
For good measure, Haye’s trainer, Adam Booth, has also had a £10,000 side bet with Chisora’s manager, Frank Warren, that Chisora will go down for 10 seconds before the final bell sounds.