David Haye believes he would have been able to beat Tyson Fury had their boxing match not been abandoned at the last minute.

Fury and Haye were due to fight in 2013 and 2014, but both fights were cancelled due to the latter picking up injuries.

The Gypsy King was understandably rather miffed about those cancellations and vowed never to give him another opportunity to fight him ever again.

But if everything had worked out in the right way, Haye has no doubts in his mind he'd beat Fury in his prime.

Haye told DAZN: “I knew it would be a tough fight.

“I studied him. I knew he was very big, very awkward, long arms and good footwork. I was fully prepared for the Tyson Fury of 2013.

"The 2013 version and the 2022 version of Tyson Fury are two very different propositions.

Tyson Fury is currently undefeated

“I always liken it to when Canelo Alvarez fought Floyd Mayweather. That was the perfect time for Mayweather to fight Canelo because he was in his early 20s, he didn’t have experience, and he wasn’t the fighter he is today. He still has the victory over him though. 

“I was in my prime, he was in his early 20s, and he hadn’t fully matured like he has done now. I’m gutted the fight didn’t take place because I was super-confident I would've got the win, but it wasn’t to be.” 

Of course, this isn't the first time that Haye has claimed that he would be able to beat Fury.

Indeed, it was only last year that he incredibly called him out for a fight, after he made a surprise comeback against his good friend and business partner Joe Fournier in an exhibition bout.

In an interview with iFL TV, he said: “I’m 100 per cent serious. I’ve said that the only person I’d put my body through a comeback for would be for the number one heavyweight on the planet.

“There’s no reason why I’d punish myself and do what I need to do to put myself in a position to give myself any time of chance if it isn’t for the big one. It doesn’t get any bigger than that. I’d be like a 1000/1 underdog, for good reason.

“Hopefully when team Fury crunch the numbers… something’s going to happen in the next two months when they’re going to be looking for an opponent. I know how big time boxing works.

“When he works out what money is generated with a Hayemaker fight vs any of the other options, although on paper they may be more respectable… he knows it’s out there.”

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