Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Bellew disgust at Haye
TONY Bellew has expressed “disgust” at both the punch David Haye threw at him and the “distasteful” comments he made at their heated press conference.
The unexpectedly-angry Haye displayed little composure while the two spoke at the top table before punching Bellew in the head in their head-to-head.
Their heavyweight fight is scheduled for March 4 at London’s O2 Arena but before then Haye could yet be punished for his behaviour by the British Boxing Board of Control.
Bellew also accused Haye of putting boxing into “disrepute”, and was unhappy at Haye threatening to put him into a hospital bed at a time when Nick Blackwell and George Groves’ opponent Eduard Gutknecht are both i n comas after suffering serious injuries while boxing.
“I’m disgusted, throwing a punch like that, some of the things he said,” said Bellew, 34, who earlier claimed Haye only agreed to fight because the former world champion is “skint”.
“He got too close and I pushed him off me — it was a gentle push — and then he punched me on the side of the head.
“Some of the things he said... ‘You’re going to a hospital bed’. There’s fighters in comas right now, who’ve been hurt in boxing. Don’t brag about putting someone in hospital.
“I’m all about selling the show but that isn’t selling the show. I’m not here to put the sport I love into disrepute like that.
“I found it distasteful and disgusting. He crossed the line. I’m not here to put anyone in hospital — I’m here to get home safely to my kids. But listen I’ve got previous, I’m not perfect.”