I’ll leave Tony’s career on ropes’

DAVID HAYE has warned Tony Bellew that he will retire him on Saturday.

The WBC cruiserweight champ, who steps up to meet Haye at heavyweight, recently revealed he could even hang up his gloves later this year if he can unify the lighter division.

But Haye said: “I can guarantee you he is going to be retiring this year.

“He won’t be boxing after March 4, no way. Just like John Ruiz didn’t box, just like Mark de Mori, just like Nikolai Valuev. A lot of fighters, when I fight them, they stay hit forever and never fight again. He will be on that list of people I’ve sent into retirement.

“I don’t think he will even defend his WBC cruiserweight title – I would be very surprised if he’s granted a licence after I do what I do to him.

“It’s a good thing he’s going to get a big payday for this because his WBC title will be a bit wasted.”And Haye’s chilling warning to Bellew did not end there. He added: “He’s definitely lit a fire under me in terms of making sure I make this the most spectacular knockout of all of my fights.

“I want to put a combination together that really hurts him, a Tommy Morrison-Ray Mercer finish where his brain hasn’t even told his legs to fall down and I’m still hitting him as he’s upright. I want to do a real number on him before the ref can stop the fight, landing three or four vicious haymakers on him.

“He has said he is willing to die in the ring. If that is the case, then I’m the last person on the planet you want to fight if you’re willing to die in the ring, if you’re willing to keep getting up – as he says he is – because I punch so hard.”