This Saturday, Nov.7, the 7”2 Russian Nikolai Valuev, and the 6′ 3″ Briton heavyweight contender David Haye, are set to meet for the WBA heavyweight championship of the world at Arena Nürnberger Versicherung in Nümberg, Germany.
This past Wednesday , both Nikolai Valuev, the current WBA heavyweight title holder and David Haye, a former undisputed cruiserweight world champion, spoke at a packed press conference We ahead of their boxing match billed as David vs. Goliath on Saturday night. "He hasn't fought anyone of my calibre; he has never fought anyone in their prime or someone so fired up,” the challenger said. “I'm not one of these guys he's used to fighting. I'm not over-the-hill, I'm not tainted, and I’m not past my sell-by-date. I am fresh, I am ready.”
Valuev, however, stated: “His comments have been very motivating,”
Valuev said. “But let´s see what Haye has to offer inside the ring. I
don´t think he will be able to follow it up. But I will not under-estimate him.”
And David Haye added: "Training has gone great and I am going to make him look
silly on Saturday night. I am going to embarrass him, knock him out. He's never fought anyone as fast or who punches as hard as me, or as accurate. I know he feels I'm a little mouthy man from England, but he's gonna be in for a rude awakening when that bell goes."
Asked what he makes of Haye´s prediction to knock him out, Valuev
replied: “He can say what he wants. I have heard that from many opponents before. It is not going to happen. I will win.” Manager Wilfried Sauerland was also surprised about the challenger´s confidence. “I don´t know where he takes it from,” he said. “He is untested at heavyweight and got knocked down a lot of times in his career. Now he is facing a proven champion with 50 victories, so I really wonder why he is
so optimistic.”
Valuev-Haye is promoted by Wilfried Sauerland’s Sauerland Event and its Managing Director, Christian Meyer, in association with Don King Productions.