There were ugly scenes at a press conference to promote their 2017 heavyweight showdown as David Haye threw a punch at Tony Bellew on Wednesday in London.
The British rivals, who will go head to head in London on March 4, had to be separated and marshalled into different rooms having spent the previous 20 minutes trying to shout over each other.
Former world champion Haye, 36, who cut an angry and aggressive figure throughout, also insulted promoter Eddie Hearn and Bellew's trainer David Coldwell.
He and Bellew, the WBC cruiserweight champion who is stepping up to heavyweight for the first time, exchanged barbs before Bellew shoved Haye and they nearly came to blows.
Bellew had accused Haye of struggling financially and spoke of the difficulties involved in negotiating with him.
Haye fired back: "Let's see who's round your hospital bed on March 4. You're putting this guy in such a dangerous situation.
"I end the fight when I want. It's completely up to me, you've got no say."
Haye has previously been involved in violence at a press conference when he brawled with Dereck Chisora in 2012.
"I'm disgusted in David throwing a punch like that and some of the things he said," Bellew said.
"He got too close and I just pushed him off and he caught me with a left hook to the head. He was a bit jumpy and nervous.
"Some of the things he said, saying you are going to a hospital bed while a boxer is in a coma just up the road, you just don't brag about things like that. We don't need clowns like him saying I'm going to leave you in hospital.
"I thought it was distasteful saying that because there are boxers in comas at the moment. There's a line and he crossed it.
"I've got previous so I'm not perfect. But he's just not a nice person. He's forgot where he's come from."
