Browne Dismisses Rumors Of Haye May Day

By Terence Dooley

David Haye has been chasing a May 21 showdown with WBA World titlist Lucas "Big Daddy" Browne (24-0, 21 KOs), but the 36-year-old Australian took to Twitter over the past couple of days to shoot "Hayemaker" down in flames. The newly minted champ confirmed that he is contracted to meet mandatory challenger Fres Oquendo in his next fight and is currently not engaged in talks with the Londoner.

Browne scored a 10th-round stoppage win over Ruslan Chagaev in Russia on March 5 to pick up the belt. Tyson Fury is the WBA Super Champion and remains Browne’s long-term aim. In the short-term he will fulfil his obligation in the next round of the WBA tournament versus Oquendo, who dropped a majority decision to Chagaev in his last contest.

"I think it's funny how full of shit [Haye] is. I'm not fighting him. Oquendo is next, it's all in the contract. It ain't happenin," Browne confirmed through social media on Monday.

Haye made his long-awaited comeback with a 1st-round stoppage win over Mark de Mori at the O2 on January 16. He is back out at the same venue on May 21, but will have to look elsewhere now that Browne has ruled himself out as a potential dance partner.

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