Boxing | International

David Haye and Audley Harrison © Action Images

Haye v Harrison in November



David Haye will defend his WBA heavyweight title against former Olympic champion Audley Harrison in an all-British bout on November 13.

Haye, 29, will take on 2000 Sydney Olympics gold medallist Harrison at Manchester's MEN Arena in a contest between two former friends and sparring partners.

The fight will be the biggest all-British heavyweight bout since retired champion Lennox Lewis took on Frank Bruno in Cardiff in 1993.

Haye opted to face Harrison after failing to secure a bout against either WBC champion Vitali Klitschko or his brother Wladimir, the WBO and IBF holder, even though he believes Harrison does not deserve a title shot.

"I don't think he deserves to fight me," Haye said when the fight was announced on Tuesday. "I don't think he's done enough in his career, but I'm happy to do my duty for the British people.

"The public want to see one final high-profile destruction of Audley Harrison, and I can assure them this will be the last time they see him in a boxing ring.

"Once I've cleaned up the mess, Audley's going to slither back to Los Angeles."

The bout is likely to represent the last opportunity for Harrison, 38, to realise his dream of winning a world title.

After striking gold in Sydney, the towering Harrison looked ready to launch a successful professional career.

However, a string of bouts against lowly-ranked opponents, followed by a series of defeats to journeymen, have seen his stock plummet, with critics nicknaming him "Fraudley" Harrison.

"If David Haye thinks I've taken this fight strictly for a payday, he is in for a rude awakening," Harrison said on Tuesday.

"After winning Olympic gold, I set a new goal to become a world heavyweight champion. David Haye stands in my way of achieving that goal."



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