Haye to defend WBA crown against Harrison
Tuesday 07 September 2010 | By Evolution InternetBack to Newsroom
By Chris Bryant
David Haye will defend his WBA world heavyweight crown in all-British showdown with Audley Harrison, it was confirmed today.
The pair will square off at the MEN Arena in Manchester on November 13th in the biggest bout between two UK fighters since Lennox Lewis defeated Frank Bruno in Cardiff in 1993.
Haye won his belt with a points victory over giant Russian Nikolay Valuev late last year and is eager to secure a clash with one of the Klitschko brothers, Vitaly and Vladimir.
However, he has been frustrated in his attempts and has now turned his attention to Harrison, the 38-year-old who won gold at the Olympic Games in Sydney in 2000.
The two Londoners are former friends and training partners but have shared a war of words in recent months and will now settle their differences in the ring.
"The fight will be a public execution. His resume is not as good as that of the last five people I have fought," said Haye.
"Everybody feels passionately that they want me to finally close the curtain on the joke that is the Audley Harrison show.
"Audley has known me for years, he knows how devastating I am in the ring. He knows it first hand from sparring sessions. I'm no joke."
Harrison has flattered to deceive since his exploits at the Olympics and his career looked to be over after losing to Belfast taxi driver Martin Rogan in December 2008.
However, he won Prizefighter last year and then knocked out Michael Sprott in the 12th round of their EBU heavyweight title bout in April to put himself in the frame for a shot at Haye.
"He is a guy I groomed," said Harrison. "I have tasted his punches and power and he never hurt me in a training session.
"This is my destiny - on November 13th Audley Harrison will be champion of the world and of that there is no doubt."
Haye's first defence of his WBA crown saw him stop American John Ruiz at the MEN Arena in April.
