David Haye and Tony Bellew - key career fights

03 March 2017 09:53

After what feels like an eternity of trading insults and press conference one-upmanship, David Haye and Tony Bellew will finally come face to face in the ring this Saturday.

Before the two meet in what promises to be a captivating encounter, Press Association Sport examines their careers to date and picks out their three most notable triumphs.

David Haye

1. Jean-Marc Mormeck, 10 November 2007 - Despite being sent to the canvas in the fourth round, Haye recovered to crush the WBA and WBC cruiserweight champion. His seventh-round knockout of the Frenchman made Haye a world champion for the first time, as well as establishing him as the division's leading fighter.

2. Enzo Maccarinelli, 9 March 2008 - Haye's final fight before moving up to the heavyweight division matched him with a fellow hard-hitting Briton. After much anticipation, Haye secured a second-round stoppage to seize Maccarinelli's WBO cruiserweight title.

3. Nikolai Valuev, 7 November 2009 - Aptly billed as a 'David and Goliath' clash, Haye faced a seven-foot opponent who had a seven-stone weight advantage. Despite suffering a suspected broken hand early on, he battled to a points victory against the Russian giant to become the WBA heavyweight champion.

Tony Bellew

1. Nathan Cleverly, 22 November 2014 - The pair had met three years earlier in a WBO light-heavyweight title fight, when Cleverly was victorious. Bellew avenged his 2011 defeat by the Welshman with a split-decision win against his bitter rival, before declaring their feud over.

2. Ilunga Makabu, 29 May 2016 - Congo's Makabu proved stern opposition, putting Bellew down in the opening round, but could not resist the Liverpudlian as he became a world champion at the third attempt. A savage third-round knockout earned Bellew the vacant WBC cruiserweight title.

3. BJ Flores, 15 October 2016 - Bellew's most recent contest brought the first defence of his cruiserweight title. He achieved the feat in some style, too, flooring the veteran American four times as he secured a third-round stoppage, before even finding time to call out Haye.

Source: PA