WBA WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE: David Haye v Nikolay Valuev
Venue: Nuremberg Arena Date: Saturday, 7 November (Fight expected to begin about 2130 GMT) Coverage: Sky Box Office from 2000 GMT (pay-per-view), live commentary on BBC 5 live and BBC Sport website (UK only) from 2100 GMT
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**British boxer David Haye has weighed in at a career-heaviest 15st 8lb for his clash with WBA heavyweight champion Nikolay Valuev in Germany on Saturday.**Valuev weighed in at 22st 8lb, which was lighter than expected, as the Russian looks to counter Haye’s speed.
Haye, 29, hopes to become Britain’s first heavyweight champion since Lennox Lewis and Valuev’s manager Kalle Sauerland has promised a classic fight.
“There are going to be fireworks on Saturday night,” vowed Sauerland.
Valuev, 36, has lost only once in 51 fights and stands nearly a foot taller and seven stone heavier than his British opponent, who is fighting at heavyweight for only the third time in his career.
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“If David Haye can knock out Nikolay Valuev - will it be the greatest moment in boxing history”
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The Russian was lighter than most anticipated with Sauerland admitting Haye’s speed, as a former cruiserweight, has been taken into consideration.
Sauerland also revealed that the normally placid Russian has been riled by Haye’s recent taunts and is vowing to take his revenge on Saturday.
“He’s worked up by Haye’s comments and he has been preparing something special for the start of the fight,” said Sauerland.
“There is no doubt he is up for this, he knows the game-plan of David Haye and he’s taken that into account with his preparation, hence the lost weight.”
Haye, who has also lost just once from his 23 fights, has vowed to become the first man to knock Valuev to the canvas, a suggestion Sauerland has dismissed.
“I’ve seen him hit in the past and it’s been like watching a fly hit a car windscreen,” he said.
Haye himself knows he is on the verge of making history and fulfilling a life-long dream of becoming the heavyweight champion of the world.
The Londoner is under no illusions about the magnitude of his task, made all the harder because of Valuev’s size, but he is confident of success.
“Going up against this guy is going to be strange,” said Haye.
"It is going to be a real shock to my system, no doubt, but I feel I can adapt and figure out a strategy to beat this big guy.
"He’s the WBA heavyweight champion of the world. I said from day one that I wanted to become the heavyweight champion and here’s my opportunity. This is what it’s all about.
"I’ve trained so hard throughout the years. I was the undisputed, unified cruiserweight champion and that’s what I want to do at heavyweight. This is my first mission, to go out there and fight this big, hairy, scary ‘Beast from the East’, the so-called eighth wonder of the world, a mammoth of a man.
He added: "It’s fairytale stuff. When I envisaged winning the heavyweight title it was against someone big, obviously, but not this big.
“I think this is the first step on the ladder in the heavyweight division for David Haye. I think he’s going to look sensational”
Ricky Hatton
“But I feel I’ve got the skill, the will and the heart to go out there, knock this Russian out and bring this title back to Britain.”
The heavyweight division has been bereft of interest in recent years and Haye has vowed to reignite the sport.
And he has the backing of Britain’s former world light-welterweight champion Ricky Hatton.
“The heavyweight division has always been the biggest in boxing,” said Hatton.
"In recent years it’s been a little bit quiet as far as excitement goes but David Haye is a massive introduction.
"If there’s one thing you think of when it comes to David Haye, it is excitement.
“I think this is the first step on the ladder in the heavyweight division for him. I think he’s going to look sensational.”