Haye reverts to successful strategy for Bellew clash

David H aye has vowed to use the gameplan that inspired his finest ever victor y to ensure revenge in tomorrow night’s rematch against Tony Bellew.

The two return to London’s 02 Arena and both recognise that H aye’ s career will be over if he loses again. Before moving to heavyweight and winning the WBA title, Haye established himself as one of the finest ever cruiser weights and a British great by winning three of the four world titles.

The first two of those came when he travelled to Paris after a difficult training camp and climbed off the canvas to stop France’s dangerous Jean-Marc Mormeck in seven rounds in 2007, and it is the tactics used that night – almost 11 years ago – that he insists will be key.

H aye ,37, is widely considered an explosive fighter with questionable stamina and who is at his most dangerous in the opening rounds. He is also expected to be confronted with ring- rust owing to his long- term inactivity, but he said: “I’ve learnt from my mistakes inside and outside of the ring.

“This time around it will be more clinical. Something I’ve never done in any of my previous fights, bar the Jean- Marc Mormeck fight; the plan was to push on from round seven onwards, and it’s the same thing.

“It’s to do as much damage in the first six rounds as possible, and then step it up from round seven to round 12.

“If he [ Bellew] is as tough and durable and has t he hear t his team believe he has, then we’ve got ourselves a cracking fight. I’ll give the performance a lot of people expected the first time around.”

Bellew, 35, who remains the under dog, albeit to a lesser degree following his unexpected victo - ry last March, regardless cast doubt on Haye’s ability to reinvent himself in the way his opponent will likely need.

“David Haye has never done that in his whole life,” he said. “Boxing is a sport where fighters do not get better as they get older.”