We can expect a lighter David Haye in the ring next month, according to Tony Bellew’s camp.
On December 17, Bellew and Haye will do battle for the second time with the latter looking to avenge his March defeat to ‘The Bomber’.
A ruptured Achilles tendon forced Haye to fight on one leg from the midway point of their grudge match earlier this year and, in the 11th round, Bellew was able to put ‘The Hayemaker’ away.
After undergoing a lengthy rehabilitation, Haye is now set to rematch his British rival at London’s O2 Arena next month and Bellew’s trainer, Dave Coldwell, expects to see a different Haye this time around.
“Haye certainly will be lighter and we have to combat that,” Coldwell told Sky Sports.
“David knows he can’t fight at the bigger weight, he’s far too slow and sluggish. He bulked up partly for vanity but also for his shoulder – to protect that injury he had.
“In the first fight with Tony, his Achilles could not take the extra weight so he will have to strip himself down as to not put so much pressure on that part of the body.
“Even in his career, when he was heavier at heavyweight, he was that fraction slower. Haye was lightning quick as a cruiser, so the lighter he is the more dangerous he is. He knows that and will want to come in and blitz Tony.”
Haye weighed in at 16 stone on the eve of his original clash with Bellew, almost a stone heavier than the Liverpool fighter.
But the weight difference between the pair ought to be smaller come weigh-in day next month, according to Coldwell.
“We expected David to be lean and fast in March,” he continued. “I’m sure this fight will be more explosive, they will both go toe to toe more frequently.
“There will still be a lot of brains in there and I do think Haye will plan to box him more, he now has respect for Tony. He might not say it, but he realises that Tony made him look like a bit of a clown at the start of the first fight.”
