Wednesday 15 February 2017 16:33, UK
David Haye began the bitter feud with Tony Bellew after trying to disrupt his world title plans, says the Liverpudlian's trainer Dave Coldwell.
The British rivals have been embroiled in a fiery war of words and will settle their differences in a big domestic clash at The O2 on March 4, live on Sky Sports Box Office.
Bellew climbed through the ropes to challenge Haye after defending his WBC cruiserweight belt against BJ Flores in October, but his trainer Coldwell insists it was the Londoner who first called for their fight.
Coldwell has revealed how Haye tried to persuade 'The Bomber' to appear on his bill, rather than take a European title fight with Mateusz Masternak last December, and accused the 36-year-old of trying to divert Bellew from his world title ambitions.
"It was Haye that brought it up first," said Coldwell. "Before the Masternak fight, he tried to get Tony to pull out of that fight to box on his bill, with a view to fighting him. It's him that tried to get Tony to divert from his dream of fighting for a world title.
"Tony was adamant that he was always going to be world cruiserweight champion and wanted to win a world title, so that's why he stuck to the Masternak fight. It was going to edge him closer to a world title fight.
"Since he won the title when he beat Makabu, he was the first name that came out. He had stored that in his mind, the stuff that was going on beforehand.
"Tony was never going to fall for his plans and divert away from the plans that had been set out with Eddie Hearn."
Bellew claimed the WBC belt which was previously held by Haye, who also won the WBA belt at cruiserweight, but Coldwell believes the former champion "looks down his nose" at Bellew.
I think David has always looked at Tony and seen a fat kid, where he is the body beautiful.
"There are things that have gone off between Haye and Bellew in the past," said Coldwell, who has previously worked in Haye's corner. "They have always niggled each other. There is respect there as far as fighters are concerned, but there has always been that little niggle.
"They are both outspoken, loud, brash. Both operated in the same division. David was beforehand and he achieved what he did at cruiserweight.
"I think David has always looked at Tony and seen a fat kid, where he is the body beautiful. When someone looks down their nose at you a little bit, that's how it always seems to be."
Both fighters have displayed their knockout power and Coldwell does not think the bout will reach the final bell.
"One hundred per cent, this is not going the distance," he said. "There is no way it can go the distance.
"You've got two guys in there that can punch and punch for real.
"The money they are going to spend on the three judges, the flights, the accommodation, all of that is a waste of money."
