David Haye has a history of pulling out of fights, so perhaps we shouldn’t have been surprised when he withdrew from his scheduled bout against Tony Bellew on Monday.
Haye has cancelled fights against Wladimir Klitschko and Tyson Fury and his rematch with Bellew is now on hold, with March 24 or May 5 put forward as possible dates.
Dillian Whyte and Tyson Fury have both come forward to fill Haye’s spot on December 17 but Bellew revealed in an interview with talkSPORT on Tuesday that it’s unlikely he will fight on that date now.
“I think the chances are very slim to none that December 17 is going to go ahead,” the 34-year-old said.
“There is a very, very minute possibility but it’s very doubtful in my opinion. There is just not a fight to fit the bill.
“I’m not going to sell the public a mismatch. I fight big fights. I fight proper fights."
Watch: Fury challenges Bellew on Instagram
Bellew wants an interim bout
Yet Bellew is still eyeing a rematch with Haye and would ideally like an interim bout while the Hayemaker recovers from his injury.
"I am looking at a postponement and getting it on in the first couple of weeks in March," Bellew told Sky Sports News.
"But can David be ready? Can he be trusted?
"Ideally I'd like to take a bout before. I want to stay busy, I've been known my whole career as an active fighter.”
Bellew's team contacted Joseph Parker
Bellew has spent 10 weeks training for Haye, so it makes sense that he would be frustrated at the postponement of their bout.
While he isn’t ready to entertain Fury or Whyte, he has admitted that he got in contact with WBO heavyweight champion Joseph Parker about a December 17 fight.
Parker, however, informed him that he isn’t ready for December 17.
"I just want to move on,” Bellew added. “This week, we've contacted Joseph Parker but he's not available, he said he isn't ready for December 17.
“He was the only one who made sense. I thought he might take it, because he's recently come off a win over Hughie Fury. It's not going to happen.
"I'm getting back in the ring early next year. The day after the news broke, I'm back in the gym. I need to stay busy and active."
