AFTER the bravado, trash talking and violent threats about what he intends to do to Tony Bellew, there’s a moment of searing honesty from David Haye.

He might have been a heavyweight champion of the world and unified the cruiserweight division.

5 David Haye admits he is still chasing an elusive "legacy fight" Credit: News Group Newspapers Ltd

But three times Haye has been in fights with stellar status and three times those fights failed to captivate.

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Haye said: “What you’re saying is that none of those fights have been Hagler-Hearns — and that’s right.

“The reason why they all remember Muhammad Ali and Sugar Ray Leonard, and any of the greats, is because they fought the best in their generations and had epic fights. I’d love to have one of those fights, a legacy fight.”

Yes, the Londoner toppled the 7ft Russian brute Nikolai Valuev but with an evasive, defensive masterclass.

Then, in a much-hyped Battle of Britain against Audley Harrison, the former Olympic gold medallist was ridiculed for throwing only one punch at Haye.

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And finally in the infamous ‘Battle of Wounded Little Toe’, Haye was outpointed by Wladimir Klitschko in an underwhelming fight remembered chiefly for the Brit blaming defeat on a broken digit.

So when Haye, 36, returns to the big time after a five-year absence — since battering Dereck Chisora in five rounds — to take on Bellew at London’s O2 Arena next Saturday, he remains desperate to secure a career-defining contest, with Anthony Joshua in his sights.

Haye said: “You want the biggest possible fight — me and Joshua is the biggest for us both. We could sell out Wembley Stadium twice over.

“But as well as the attention it would bring, the clash of styles would be classic.

“I believe I’m a natural boxer and he isn’t. He learned later in life but he has a lot of things in his favour, he’s on a roll.

“There’s no doubt I think the defining fight of my career is still to come — and a good start would be Joshua.”

5 Tony Bellew is the first man standing in Haye's way in his boxing return Credit: Array

5 Haye wants a super fight with world heavyweight champ Anthony Joshua Credit: News Group Newspapers Ltd

Haye believes Joshua will knock out Klitschko at Wembley on April 29, with the Ukrainian rusty after 18 months out of since his shock defeat by Tyson Fury.

He said: “Joshua is the young guy, Klitschko is 41 and in his last fight he looked terrible. You’re seeing deterioration.

“People in the Klitschko training camp that I know say he is looking terrible.

“That all augers well for Joshua to blitz him. Then it would be down to Joshua.

“He could have easy defences or fight me, which would be risky.”

First though, it is Bellew which will be just Haye’s third fight in five years.

And while Haye has been infamous for his manufactured trash talking in the past, his dislike of the Liverpudlian is genuine.

5 Tony Bellew has had plenty to say about Haye in the build up to the bout Credit: News Group Newspapers Ltd

Bellew, 34, is making the step up from cruiserweight but Haye claims the Everton fan’s ascent to the world title in the lower weight division bears no comparison with his own victory over Frenchman Jean-Marc Mormeck a decade ago.

That seventh-round stoppage, after he was dropped in the fourth, is widely regarded as his finest performance.

Haye said: “Bellew won a vacant title on his own promoter’s event and goes on like he’s the greatest thing since sliced bread.

“I made a lot less noise when I went over to France to beat the best man in that division.

“He’s had it laid out nicely. I’ve had to go to foreign territory for my big fights but he gets them in his own soccer stadium (Everton’s home ground Goodison Park).

“He’s been very lucky but his luck will seriously run out on March 4. I am bigger, stronger, faster, more athletic, more experienced, more skilled.

“It doesn’t help to like your opponent. It’s easier to push your body to the maximum when you’re training to do damage to someone you don’t like.

“If you think your opponent is a lovely guy and you want to hang out and go to movies with him, you are not going to be pushing yourself to smash him to bits.

“But I don’t even have to try to hate this guy. He’s got the most unlikeable personality of any current British fighter.

“He’s talked himself into a situation where he is going to get badly smashed. I’m going to teach him some manners.

“There have been unification world title fights that have had a tenth of the publicity of this fight and there’s no title on the line. We are fighting for the sake of fighting...”

5 Londoner toppled the 7ft Russian brute Nikolai Valuev but with an evasive, defensive masterclass Credit: CEN/Vkontakte

While Haye can talk nasty, he is an intelligent man with depth to his character. Indeed, he is possibly the only Millwall fan who is a vegan!

Haye explained: “I’ve had a plant-based diet for three years.

“I have a full-time chef and a good nutritionist who makes sure I get all the minerals and nutrients required, which isn’t easy in a plant-based diet.

“I feel better than ever, I look and feel younger.

“People say, ‘Where do you get your strength from?’. I say, where does an ape get his strength from?

“He’s 20 times stronger than a human and doesn’t have a meat-based diet. They eat plants all day long. It’s a myth that you need meat for strength.

“It started when I was injured and was researching the best diets to heal muscles. All roads kept leading back to a plant-based diet — and when you look at the horrible way animals are treated, that made it easier to switch.

“But I don’t like to ram it down people’s throats. People say, ‘How do you know if someone is a vegan — because they never stop talking about being a vegan!’.”

WATCH David Haye vs Tony Bellew exclusively live on Sky Sports Box Office on March 4 from The 02, London.