David Haye lining up 'perfect scenario' of facing Anthony Joshua after his Cardiff fight with Carlos Takam
Haye is trying to engineer an all-British bout against the heavyweight champion
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Your support makes all the difference.David Haye insists that taking on British heavyweight rival Anthony Joshua the “perfect scenario” for him but only if he can beat Tony Bellew convincingly in their rematch.
Joshua currently holds the IBF and WBA belts, the latter previously held by Haye between 2010 and 2011, and is due to defend them at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium next weekend with Carlos Takam after No. 1 contender Kubrat Pulev suffered a pectoral injury and was forced to pull out of the fight.
Haye himself is preparing for a rematch with Tony Bellew on 17 December at the O2 following a loss in the first fight after rupturing his Achilles which eventually saw him lose in the 11th round.
The Bermondsey-born former undisputed cruiserweight champion wants to engineer a fight against Joshua eventually but only if he can beat Bellew comfortable after a series of career-threatening injuries.
“That would be the ultimate perfect scenario,” Haye told talkSPORT. “I have a couple of fights, he has a couple of fights. If we both keep winning then a big stadium, me v Anthony Joshua, it doesn't get any bigger than that.
“However, I can't even remotely even start thinking about that if I can't perform against Tony Bellew.
“If I can't beat Tony Bellew, my competitive boxing career is effectively over. There is no need me even mentioning any other names in the heavyweight division, about wanting to fight for titles, fight this guy, that guy.
“If I can't beat Tony Bellew, then it's over. Even If I win, I may still retire.
“Even if I beat Tony Bellew, but I scrape through, I get knocked down, I'm struggling, whatever issue I have, I can't then realistically say I want to fight this big guy who is three inches taller, three stone bigger, 10 years younger, undefeated and with a 100 per cent knock-out record.”
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