Former world champion David Haye claims that some racist jabs from the Liverpool fans were the motivating factor in making him resort to expletives and raising his middle finger to supporters of Tony Bellew at a press conference in the latter’s hometown of Liverpool.
The 36-year-old — who swung a punch at WBC cruiserweight world champion Bellew at their previous press conference which prompted organisers of Monday’s event to hire two hefty security men to stand between them — reacted angrily when he was greeted with foul-mouthed abuse from the partisan crowd.
Haye and Bellew will collide on Saturday night. Bellew will be moving up in weight for the second time in four years.
Haye came under fire from a lot of media outlets for labeling the Liverpool fans as "retards."
He says his decision to do so was motivated by the attacks from the crowd, claiming some were racial in nature.
“There was a few [racist remarks]. There wasn’t a lot but there was more than there needed to be. It was a bunch of idiots. I didn’t enjoy that but that’s what he brings to the table. He is mixed race himself. I don’t think his crew realize his background. They are morons. I don’t want to spend much more time focusing about them," Haye said.
“Get them to bet all of their dole money on Tony Bellew to win the fight, if they are so confident. Hopefully they will lose all of the money they get off the government.”
Bellew threw cold water on Haye's claims, stating that his fans threw no racial hatred at the media gathering.
"How can they be racist towards him when I'm just as black as him? My mother's black - she's blacker than David. He's a liar. A proven liar," Bellew told Sport Joe UK.
