Adam Booth : "There was so much pressure and demand for Haye vs Harrison to be made"

Can you believe this? Best of Enemies is not just a boxing match, it's an event. That is Adam Booth's verdict on the world heavyweight showdown between bitter enemies David Haye and Audley Harrison, live on Sky Box Office HD - and for the first time in 3D. Booth, who is promoting the fight, believes the clash will be the biggest thing British boxing has seen for years. Not since Ricky Hatton took thousands to Las Vegas to take on Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquaio has the sport enjoyed such a high profile outside of the usual paremeters. Both Haye and Harrison say they have been shocked at the interest from the general public and even the man staging the show admits he didn't think it would be this big. "There was so much pressure and demand for this to be made that we paid attention to it and it's been born out," he told skysports.com. "We've sold 18,000-19,000 tickets and with five weeks to go, the arena's totally sold out. "If that's directly proportionate to public interest with the TV audience - which I believe it is because of Audley's name and reputation as well as David's - we have got an event, a real event on our hands. "I am surprised at how much this has caught on. It's an event that transcends boxing. "And that's great for boxing, because our sport is a great sport but it gets marginalised and it's fights like this that keep us in the public eye." And while public opinion may be divided on the outcome, depending which camp you listen to - Booth is unequivocal when it comes to the winner. He admits that given the up-and-down nature of Harrison's career there is no telling what to expect from the challenger come fight night, but says Haye' preparation has also surpassed his expectations. "You can never control what another man's going to do, how another man is going to react," he said. "All we can do is control David's preparation. "That has gone better than before. You can see from the condition he's in today that David is in better shape than he's ever been and I am as confident as I have ever been of anything about this. "David on his day and Audley better than ever? It's a one-horse race.". This fight is a complete farce. Ok not on the level of Pacroid vs Margacheato but if they seriously think this is good for British boxing they are sadly mistaken. I hope Haye gets knocked out for his blatant ducking, cherry picking and his insistence on behaving like a arrogant clown.

Comments (13)

Really? Great news. Actually now that I think about it there are and have been a hell of a lot of exciting matchups on the British domestic scene of late. hes fighting twice in november in Ireland. Putting his new "Ironman" nickname to the test.

15y ago

JK1700

Because I box myself and have an interest in boxing, a lot of my classmates have came up to me and expressed an interest in this fight. These are politics students who normally wouldn't care for boxing in the slightest. Thus, while Haye vs Harrison might not be a huge fight on a global scale, it certainly is a huge British fight, and will probably become the biggest grossing HW matchup for at least half a decade, bearing in mind the fact that Haye - Valuev sold upwards of 800,000 PPV's. This is a big fight. No doubt about that. I agree to a certain extent. I am a little interested because while Audley isnt deserving and overmatched in terms of skills, there's still the chance that he might land flush. And if he does then Haye is going to sleep. However I just can't get away from the fact that Haye, I think he has let boxing down. After everything he said he would do, he's now going back on it. Alot of people will watch the fight but that doesnt change the fact that Haye is abit of an embarrassment. I think we all remember what he was saying. "I'm the savior of the heavyweight division" and then he goes and takes a fight like this. With all due respect to Audley he isnt even ranked in the Top 10 is he? Haye said all this crap about the Klitschkos and still does yet refuses to fight them. I realise that trash talking is part of the game but this guy just talks and talks and talks and doesnt back it up.

15y ago

nomadman

its alright, hes making a comeback. Im hoping he'll fight Chisora in 2011. If Del boy is out of hospital by then. Really? Great news. Actually now that I think about it there are and have been a hell of a lot of exciting matchups on the British domestic scene of late.

15y ago

nomadman

Harrison will get KO'd with the first flush right hand that Haye lands. Rogan would've taken Haye's best shots IMO and i reckon Haye would've panicked. Thus a great fight in my head lol. Martin Rogan was the man the Heaveyweight division needed, not David Haye. Damn you Sam Sexton. True, Rogan was frikkin' awesome. Really miss that guy.

15y ago

gingeralbino

Harrison will get KO'd with the first flush right hand that Haye lands. Rogan would've taken Haye's best shots IMO and i reckon Haye would've panicked. Thus a great fight in my head lol. Martin Rogan was the man the Heaveyweight division needed, not David Haye. Damn you Sam Sexton. its alright, hes making a comeback. Im hoping he'll fight Chisora in 2011. If Del boy is out of hospital by then.

15y ago

Chunk

Why do u want Rogie to die? Although Id buy that ppv. And cry throughout the whole fight. Harrison will get KO'd with the first flush right hand that Haye lands. Rogan would've taken Haye's best shots IMO and i reckon Haye would've panicked. Thus a great fight in my head lol. Martin Rogan was the man the Heaveyweight division needed, not David Haye. Damn you Sam Sexton.

15y ago

BetterCallSaul

"This is an event that will transcend boxing" He couldnt be more wrong. Because I box myself and have an interest in boxing, a lot of my classmates have came up to me and expressed an interest in this fight. These are politics students who normally wouldn't care for boxing in the slightest. Thus, while Haye vs Harrison might not be a huge fight on a global scale, it certainly is a huge British fight, and will probably become the biggest grossing HW matchup for at least half a decade, bearing in mind the fact that Haye - Valuev sold upwards of 800,000 PPV's. This is a big fight. No doubt about that.

15y ago

gingeralbino

Martin Rogan vs David Haye. That i would've rather seen then this. Why do u want Rogie to die? Although Id buy that ppv. And cry throughout the whole fight.

15y ago

Chunk

A cabbie beat Harrison a few fights ago, So no this fight is trash.. Martin Rogan vs David Haye. That i would've rather seen then this.

15y ago

Ray

A cabbie beat Harrison a few fights ago, So no this fight is trash..

15y ago

WladIsTheChamp

F*cking hell, Booth also said multiple times that the Audley fight will never happen and if it does the public will consider Gaye a joke and a coward. Here is one of the interviews: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wuj6iyUMtfc The hypocrisy of the Gaye camp and the lack of short term memory of Brits is astounding.

15y ago

TRAV1

No there wasn't.

15y ago

JK1700

"This is an event that will transcend boxing" He couldnt be more wrong.

15y ago