By Edward Chaykovsky
Former two-division world champion David Haye (28-2, 26KOs) is open to the idea of facing WBC cruiserweight world champion Tony Bellew (27-2-1, 17KOs) - but only if the fight takes place in the heavyweight division.
Bellew captured the WBC title on May 29th in Liverpool with a knockout of Ilunga Makabu in three rounds. Haye was also in action last month, continuing his comeback which began in January in the heavyweight division.
Immediately after winning the cruiserweight crown, Bellew began issuing some very heated challenges to Haye.
Bellew, when he was an amateur, sparred with Haye. He claims to have worked Haye over pretty good, forcing the Hayemaker to withdraw from a scheduled fight.
Haye is planning to face former WBO heavyweight champion Shannon Briggs in the fall. Once that fight is squared away, Haye will be ready to face Bellew whenever he wants. Bellew will likely have to make a mandatory defense by then.
The mandatory obligation is not yet clear, but WBC 'champion in recess' Grigory Drozd of Russia is planning his return for the fall and intends to exercise his immediate shot at Bellew.
Haye's date with Briggs, provided that fight is finalized, is being targeted for September and October.
If and when the fight with Bellew takes place, Haye is not planning to move down - he wants Bellew to add on some poundage and move up to the heavyweight limit. To stay on course, both fighters would have to come away victorious from any potential fights in the fall.
"If I ever fight Tony Bellew then it'll be at heavyweight. I'm a heavyweight. I moved up and gave away seven stone [98-pounds] in weight against Nikolay Valuev. If he wants to step up then he'll have to put a little bit of weight on but we're similar sizes," Haye told Sky Sports.
