Tony Bellew on why David Haye must fight him on May 5 and what he plans to do next, writes John Dennen

TONY BELLEW is convinced David Haye will not pull out of their fight again. The rescheduled rematch is taking place on May 5 and Bellew is certain Haye will be there, because his future depends on it.

“I can 100 per cent say he’s getting in the ring on May 5 and if he doesn’t, it’s over anyway,” Bellew said.

That desperation, Bellew believes, will play to Haye’s detriment. “This is the first time in his whole career that his career is on the line. I’ve done this many times before, I had the loss to [Nathan] Cleverly, I came back and my career was on the line Edison Miranda, career on the line, world title final eliminators against [Isaac] Chilemba, who was favourite to beat me, my career’s on the line.

“My career’s been on the line all those times so I know how nerve-wracking it is walking to the ring and in your mind you’re thinking if I lose it’s over.

“He’s cherry picked who and when he fights, he’s been able to do that because he’s always been a valuable commodity.”

Bellew continued, “I’m dealing with a man who doesn’t want to be here. It’s alright say he wants to wind back the clock but this guy wanted to retire at 31 so why is he still here? He’s made fortune so why’s he sitll here? Because he can’t stop spending.”

The Liverpudlian is adamant Haye won’t progress further at heavyweight. “He can’t be undisupted champ, he won’t entertain Deontay Wilder, who can’t get a fight, he’s even fighting drug cheats. Haye could easily have made the Wilder fight when he became WBC champ,” Bellew said. “Haye is a name in the states and he could have taken that fight at any stage. He didn’t because he doesn’t have a hope against Wilder. He sparred him and realised Wilder can take his big shots and dish them out. He wants [Anthony] Joshua because the money’s there, it’s mega money he could make three-quarters of what he’s earned his whole career in one night.”

Bellew himself harbours no desire to fight Joshua. He maintains that Haye will be his last outing at heavyweight. “I’ve got to go back down to cruiserweight, the plan I had is gone because [the WBO heavyweight champion] Joseph Parker is going to lose to AJ,” he said.

“Now I’ve got everything I dreamed of and more, all I’ve got left to do is to prove people wrong,” Bellew continued. “If all is well and I get home safe on May 5, my intention is to fight the winner of WBSS [World Boxing Super Series], providing that is Oleksandr Usyk.”

He explained, “I’d always wanted to unify the cruiserweight division, the last person to do it was Evander Holyfield, Haye did it slightly, he faced Jean-Marc Mormeck for the WBC, then Enzo Maccarinelli for the WBO.

“Usyk will have them all, and once he’s dealt with [Murat] Gassiev – if he does, it’s a hard fight – I’m the biggest name for him.

“He’s a better boxer than me but I’m convinced I can chin him because he’s vulnerable and he’ll give me the chance,” Bellew concluded. “He’ll definitely outbox me and my face and hands will be f***** but if I hit that long string of p*** with my left hook he’s going to go down.”