RSR Breaking News: David Haye Will Face Audley Harrison in November

RSR was just informed that current WBA Heavyweight Champion, David Haye, 24-1, 22 KO’s, has just agreed to fight Audley Harrison, 27-4, 20 KO’s, in his second defense of the heavyweight title. It has long been rumored that Haye will take on Wladimir Klitschko, the current WBO/IBO/IBF Heavyweight Champion, but has opted to take on fellow British heavyweight Harrison.

Harrison has put together four straight victories over nondescript opposition since his latest defeat and this will be his first title opportunity. There were high hopes for Harrison when he began his career, even getting the nod from Lennox Lewis as the next great heavyweight, but he never accomplished it. He would lose dreadfully to Dominick Guinn, get stopped by Michael Sprott, and lose to Danny Williams. Harrison, to his credit, has avenged the losses to Sprott and Williams, but will be the long shot to defeat Haye on the 13th of November.

US Promoter talks up David Haye v Audley Harrison Battle of Britain clash

David Haye's US promoter Golden Boy has been talking up the prospect of a Battle of Britain clash with Audley Harrison.

Golden Boy ceo Richard Schaefer was in London last week working on Haye's next defence of his WBA heavyweight title and says a fight with Harrison would be big box office in the UK.

Sydney gold medallist Harrison has relinquished his European heavyweight title to leave him free to fight Haye and the showdown is being mooted for November 13 at either London's O2 or Manchester's MEN Arena.

Schaefer said: "The British media were telling me that the English fans were pretty excited about Audley Harrison and think that it could become one of the great showdowns between two British fighters.

"They're both very outspoken and very charismatic and so we will see. Ultimately, of course, it will be David and Adam Booth of Hayemaker Promotions dictating which way it's going to go."

McGuigan - Audley could beat Haye

Boxing legend Barry McGuigan believes 2000 Olympic gold medallistAudley Harrison has a chance to beat David Haye if the pair meet later this year (check out the latest boxing markets on stanjames.com).

Haye's manager, Adam Booth, has already admitted a fight between the two British heavyweights could happen.

WBA heavyweight champion of the world Haye is desperate for a shot at either of the Klitschko brothers but so far the two camps have been unable to agree a deal over a potential bout.

Wladamir Klitschko has recently claimed he would turn Haye's face into a "pizza" but as yet the fight still has not been arranged, which could pave the way for the 'A-Force' to take his shot at the Hayemaker.

McGuigan is a shrewd pundit and he feels Harrison has a chance to beat Haye by way of knockout after his last-gasp victory over Michael Sprott.

Sprott had been way ahead on points, yet Harrison landed a sweet punch in the 12th round of the fight to knock his opponent out.

"You can't say he (Harrison) hasn't got a chance," explained McGuigan. "On the strength of the punch that knocked out Sprott, he has a chance against anyone."

Target 2014: Boxing champ David Haye tells Man Utd defender Ferdinand

David Haye has told crocked Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand to focus on the World Cup 2014.
Ferdinand is expected to return from South Africa this week after a knee injury suffered in training ruled him out of the World Cup last weekend. He will be 35 when the next World Cup comes around in Brazil in 2014.
But WBA heavyweight champion Haye, 29, told the Daily Star Sunday: “As soon as I heard about Rio’s injury the thing that came to my mind was when I had my whole world lined up for one night against Klitschko.
“Then, a couple weeks before the world title fight with him, I had to pull out with a back injury. I couldn’t do anything. I thought my world had ended but it has worked out okay for me since, because I won the world title later in the year against Valuev and hopefully the same can happen to Rio. All I wanted to do was lie in a room with the curtains closed, so my thoughts are with him right now because I know what he is going through.
“There’s not much anyone can say to make him feel better and you don’t want to talk to anyone, so I just texted him on the day I heard he had been injured. I told him about my injury a year back and he’s how you expect him to be.
“A lot of things go through your mind, mostly negative. It’s a long time to the next World Cup but what he does have on his side is that he’s a clean living person. He could play on to his mid-thirties and play in another World Cup. He’s not your stereotypical footballer in that you don’t hear about him going out getting caned, drinking in nightclubs until the early hours every weekend and that will work for him.
“I talk to him regularly and I know how much it meant to him. But I think he can still play in another World Cup and he can still become a world champion like me.
“I know how he feels because the same thing happened to me when I got injured in training for Klitschko last year. Rio’s the best in the world at what he does. He’s England’s captain and he was our main guy. He was the last line of defence so it’s a real gutter for England.
“We need someone who is 6ft 3in and up for it. He intimidates players and they don’t want to get tackled by him. But we have got to try to move forward now. He was a good leader of the team, now the others have got to bring their A game.
“But I have got my fingers crossed we can still do it without Rio.
“We both grew up in the same part of east London – he’s from Peckham and I’m from Bermondsey, down the road. Our parents know each other and I knew him as a kid.”

David Haye: David Haye calls for random drug-testing in boxing

David Haye intends to campaign for mandatory Olympic style random drug testing for all world champions.

Adam Booth, his trainer and manager, says the World Boxing Association champion wishes "to use his position as world heavyweight champion to clean up the sport".
Booth said on Tuesday: "People created rumours about David using banned substances when he moved up from cruiserweight to heavyweight, but he would never do that.
"He now feels he wants to use his position to campaign against drug use in the sport. We need to do this from the top down."
Haye's stance follows the call from American welterweight Floyd Mayweather Jnr, who insists that anyone he signs to fight with must now agree to random drug testing.
Haye's next opponent will be announced within a month, according to Booth, with a mid October date scheduled.
Meanwhile, Audley Harrison, a possible opponent, vacated the European heavyweight title on Tuesday.
"We are in discussions with the Klitschkos and Adam Booth and David Haye regarding a world title shot later this year," Harrison's promoter, Eddie Hearn, said. Booth denied Hearn's claim.
Khalid Yafai and Iain Weaver both achieved wins in Moscow on Tuesday which guarantees them medals at the European Amateur Championships.