Tony Bellew has revealed that he wrote a will in the build-up to his victory over David Haye following the former world heavyweight champion’s threats to seriously injure him.

Haye, who suffered an eleventh-round stoppage defeat to Bellew at the O2 Arena earlier this month, made several unsavoury remarks, including one promise to 'cave in' his opponent's skull, in the months leading up to their meeting.

The 36-year-old will appear in front of a panel representing the British Boxing Board of Control (BBBofC) next month to explain his pre-fight comments, and Bellew has now revealed that Haye’s remarks left him fearing the worst.

David Haye and Tony Bellew's best trash-talk Show all 11 1 /11 David Haye and Tony Bellew's best trash-talk David Haye and Tony Bellew's best trash-talk “I'll put you and that pathetic haircut to sleep. Spongebob Squarepants, I'll deal with you in a boxing ring... I smashed your buddy, your playmate, your playboy and I will smash you the exact same way.” Tony Bellew set the wheels in motion for this fight minutes after his successful cruiserweight title defence against BJ Flores, picking David Haye out at ringside and insulting his haircut. Getty David Haye and Tony Bellew's best trash-talk “I'll probably knock him out with a jab. I could win the fight with one hand, just my left hand, I wouldn't even need my right hand.” Haye was not impressed, and dismissed Bellew's challenge by saying he could beat him one-handed. Getty David Haye and Tony Bellew's best trash-talk “You're not going to be able to chew your food... I’ll be standing over your limp body in the ring. I’ll come to hospital and let you play with my hair.” The fight was arranged and the trash-talking started in earnest, with Haye setting the tone for a bad-tempered build-up. Getty David Haye and Tony Bellew's best trash-talk “If this fight comes down to courage and heart at any time, if the steam goes out of him after four rounds, he’s in a world of s***.” The two infamously came to premature blows at the first press conference, with Bellew pushing Haye away before being clipped by a sly punch. Getty David Haye and Tony Bellew's best trash-talk “I could go clubbing every night between now and the fight and get smashed and still knock you out.” Bellew has questioned Haye's commitment throughout the build-up, but Haye was more than happy to stress how easy he would find it against the Liverpudlian. Getty David Haye and Tony Bellew's best trash-talk “I'm going to stick steel toe cap boots on him in the contract and make it compulsory he walks around in them...” In an interview with The Independent, Bellew pre-empted Haye's attempts to suggest he may enter the ring with an injury. Getty David Haye and Tony Bellew's best trash-talk “I could feel he wanted to go for me and, if he does, I can't guarantee I am not going to smash him up before the first bell on March 4.” Ahead of their promotional press conference tour, Haye warned that there could be further fireworks between the pair. Getty David Haye and Tony Bellew's best trash-talk “I’ve never had a fight where I really wanted to cave someone’s skull in like this, ever.” Haye's most controversial comment came on Soccer AM a week before the bout, and it could land him in trouble with the BBBofC. Sky David Haye and Tony Bellew's best trash-talk “Bet all the money you have. Each and every one of you should bet on Bellew to win the fight... f****** r******“ Haye followed that up by calling the crowd at a press conference in Liverpool, Bellew's hometown, 'f****** r******' Getty David Haye and Tony Bellew's best trash-talk “I’m expecting the best David Haye, but it’s not going to be there for very long. When it runs out, the big fat scouser will come through you like a steam train.” Bellew hit back against jibes about his weight by promising to make Haye pay. Getty David Haye and Tony Bellew's best trash-talk “Enjoy your last couple of days. This is going to feel so good.” At their last press conference, Haye was a controversial as ever, despite the warnings from the BBBofC.

“There’s people in situations and it’s very, very frightening. The situations some fighters have been in recently. I’ll be honest, it scares me,” he told Boxing News.

“People don’t know this but I wrote a will before that fight. It’s the only time I’ve ever done it in my whole career.

“I wrote a will two weeks before leaving everything to my missus in case anything happened to me because I knew he was capable of really, really hurting me.”



After coming to premature blows in their first pre-fight press conference and trading insults in the promotional tour that followed, the pair’s conduct drew several warnings from the BBBofC, which implored both men to be “sensible” in the week prior to their fight.

Despite seeming to put their differences to one side in the immediate aftermath of the fight, Bellew maintains that Haye's pre-fight comments were uncalled for.

“I can’t even lie and tell you it’s water under the bridge because it’s not, I think he’s an arsehole,” the Liverpudlian told Boxing News.

“I think he was wrong for saying the things he said. I could’ve forgiven him if he came out after the fight and said that he’d said things just to get a reaction out of me but he hasn’t, he’s come out and said he actually meant every single word he said. That disgusted me even more.