David Haye v Tony Bellew: heavyweight boxing – live!
05 May 2018 08:45
Bellew: Haye will ‘pay for every word’ in grudge rematchEmail: niall.mcveigh@theguardian.com | Tweet: @niallmcveigh 9.45pm BST There was a surprise earlier on at the O2 Arena, as Belfast’s James Tennyson inflicted a first ever defeat on Martin Joseph Ward in their super-featherweight bout. Olympic silver medallist Joe Joyce defeated Lenroy Thomas by second-round KO in his fourth professional fight, and Emmanuel Rodríguez became IBF world bantamweight champion after beating Paul Butler on points. 9.36pm BST Haye has tweeted – or possibly his PR, seeing as his hands have been wrapped. He’s trying his best to look relaxed:My hands are wrapped I’m feeling good. Tune in to Sky Box Office to see the end of the Haye-Bellew story in just one hour https://t.co/F2cvy3DL9t pic.twitter.com/ZPI4s1kWGc 9.19pm BST Anthony Joshua is ringside as a Sky pundit, and thinks Bellew has a chance of a repeat win tonight. On Bellew’s pre-fight aggro, he says “I do believe mind games are a big part of the build-up. They are listening – you’ve got to keep poking away.” 6.01pm BST Very few sequels live up to the original. For every Empire Strikes Back, there are several hundred Speed 2: Cruise Controls. Tonight’s sophomore meeting between David Haye and Tony Bellew has the potential to join that select club.After a long, drawn-out build-up packed with bluster and bile, Haye v Bellew I proved to be an absurd if absorbing experience. A promising contest fell apart when Haye snapped his Achilles in the sixth round. Barely able to throw a punch, Haye was at the mercy of his underpowered opponent, who laboured to a late knockout win. It was a case of the stoppable force against the unmoving object. 11.12am BST Niall will be here shortly. In the meantime, here’s Kevin Mitchell’s big fight preview:The conversation with Tony Bellew was idling towards an emotional conclusion as he reflected on what mattered to him in life: family, home, friends, Everton Football Club. And then the fighter detailed in a chilling blast of invective what he was going to do to David Haye at the O2 Arena in London on Saturday night.“I want to cause havoc,” he said, eyes on fire. “I want to cause mayhem – and I mean the worst mayhem you can see. Something happens to me [in the ring]. I’m gonna flick a switch. I want to do damage. I swear when I get him on Saturday, he’s going to pay for every word. I’m going to smash him. And I’m not going to stop. He’s finished. He has no idea what’s coming.” Continue readingread full article
