Calmness the key as Haye plots to avenge Bellew defeat

David Haye has revealed the drastic change in his preparations for tonight’s rematch with Tony Bellew is because his opponent won the mind games before their first fight last March.

Former WBA heavyweight champion Haye appeared angry throughout the buildup to that defeat, punching Bellew and shouting at him, his promoter Eddie Hearn and Bellew’s supporters before the pair met in the ring. On fight night, he also neglected the subtlety that had once brought him such success, recklessly trying to land his heaviest punches and Haye acknowledges he had “lost his way”.

At his peak, the 37-year-old Haye was masterful in the art of unnerving his opponents. Ahead of their rematch, he has been considerably more composed. “For the past fight it was difficult to motivate myself because I didn’t see him as a threat, so I used his annoying personality as fuel to wind me up,” he said. “I watched as many interviews as possible of him saying things about me, to try to trigger emotion in me, and I used that anger to get through it. I brought that into the press conferences, the weigh-in and the whole thing was a mess. My performance was angry.

“Sometimes you lose your way a little bit. [I’ve learnt] to be calm and not allow things to eat away at me. I’d listen to an interview and he’d say certain things and it would irritate me; now it’s ‘Why was I even thinking about that? Who cares?’

“This time I’ve shielded myself, haven’t watched any interviews with him. I’d normally do that to other people and wind up my opponents, so he did to me what I did to other people. It’s a lesson.” Haye, who yesterday weighed in at 15st 10lbs 2oz compared to his previous, bloated 16st 9oz, was also asked if his career was over if he again loses, and he responded: “One hundred per cent. If I can’t beat Tony Bellew, I’m man enough to know that boxing’s not for me anymore.”

Bellew, 35, says he is fighting without pressure because he has already achieved all of his ambitions.

He said: “My career ended in 2016 when I won the WBC [cruiserweight] title. I’ve fulfilled my career. I’m just trying to get the bonuses out of boxing.”