After an arm injury forced David Haye to pull out of his scheduled rematch with Tony Bellew, which was set to take place on December 17, the pair will now meet on May 5 instead.

The date was confirmed yesterday, despite speculation surrounding Haye’s future in the sport.

After an Achilles injury forced his corner to throw in the towel during their original bout, and now this problem, it seems injuries are a way of hinting that the end is near for the 37-year-old.

However, the veteran, who has fought at a professional level for 15 years, fails to see it that way.

He’s even lining up unbeaten WBA ‘super’ and IBF champion Anthony Joshua as his next opponent if he manages to inflict revenge on Bellew come May.

However, Haye has admitted that if he fails to claim a convincing victory over the Liverpdulian, then he won’t take on the division’s number one fighter:

"Come fight night, I'm not only looking at winning this fight, I really want to make a statement and show the world I am an elite heavyweight," Haye said via Sky Sports.

"I am a guy who can challenge for that No 1 spot.

“Anything other than a conclusive, spectacular victory, is a failure in my eyes.

“If I win the fight, but I struggle, I'm honest enough with myself to know the likes of Anthony Joshua, the No 1 in the division... if I cannot beat Tony Bellew in emphatic style, then I've got no business mentioning his name.

"Not only do I have to win, I have to win in a style that you would expect [from] the best heavyweight in the world.

“I don't want my performance to be any less than you would expect an Anthony Joshua to deal with Tony Bellew."

Haye also admitted that since coming back from retirement, he hasn’t done enough to compete with the likes of Joshua.

"For me to be having these aspirations of becoming the best in the division, I have to really do something special.

"What I have done in my last fight, and in my last three comeback fights, is not good enough to beat the best in the division, the Anthony Joshuas."

So it seems the 37-year-old must not only beat Bellew but dominate the fight on all fronts if he is to reignite his belief of becoming number one.