Haye: If Audley Wins, I'll Have To Disappear For Months

By Mark Vester

WBA heavyweight champion David Haye is not overlooking the challenge of Audley Harrison. After all of his boasts and trash talk, he knows an upset loss will destroy his career in the heavyweight ranks. Haye meets Harrison this Saturday at the MEN Arena in Manchester. He tells Jeff Powell of Daily Mail that a loss would force him to disappear for several months.

"I always try to keep as much pressure on myself as possible," says Haye. "This is one way of doing that for an opponent who should have no hope against me. It is extra motivation to punish my body into 100 per cent conditon. I just keep reminding myself I won't be able to walk the streets of south London if I lose. I would have to hide away. Disappear for months."

Harrison is a huge underdog in the fight. Huge enough that even Haye admits that he thought nobody would be interested or have any desire to watch it. As the weeks played out, even Haye was blown away with all of the hype amomg fans and media in England. Haye wasn't happy with the idea of giving Harrison a huge payday. After several weeks of hype, Haye is forced to give Audley his due. Haye has one of the biggest mouths in boxing, but Harrison has proved, at least during this promotion, to have a mouth that is equally as big.

"One of the reasons I was irritable when this fight was made is that I really thought no-one would want to watch it. You know, not old Fraudley again. But then I realised a lot of people want to see me finally finish off this so-called career of his," Haye said.

"Also, I did resent giving him a big pay-night when he had not paid his dues. He has never won world championships like I have. He's done nothing at this level to deserve this shot. He talks about knocking out Michael Sprott to win the European title but come on, Michael is really just a sparring partner for the Klitschkos."

"But now I have to admit that he really does help sell a fight. He has convinced a lot of people that at last he's going to fulfill his world title destiny. Keep talking. I hope Super Audley turns up. I hope the A-Force brings his A-game. Then I can put on a show."