David Haye admits what everyone already knew ahead of Tony Bellew fight

You don't say.

We hope you're sitting down, because David Haye has said something that may shock you. The British boxer has admitted that Tony Bellew, his opponent for Saturday's heavyweight bout at the O2 Arena in London, has "wound him up." Of course, there has been no suggestion that Bellew had managed to get under the skin of Haye until he made this surprising admission. Sure, he may have punched him at a press conference. And said he's aiming to hospitalise the Liverpudlian.

"I'm looking at putting a combination together where he is unconscious but his brain hasn't told his legs to fall down and I'm still hitting him while he's upright."

And end his career.

"I need to go out there and do a complete and utter destruction job on Tony Bellew. I want to make sure that is it - it's over for him and that he is never fighting again."

He also called Bellew's fans in attendance at a press conference earlier this week "f***ing r***rds," and delivered this withering comeback: https://twitter.com/BoxingBritain1/status/836354799171944448 But otherwise, Haye has been calm and restrained ahead of the fight. In fact, both boxers have been.

David haye going crazy at press conference ???pic.twitter.com/0ffI1lfPeZ

— Eastend Gooner (@BoydcaleyOwner) February 28, 2017

Which is why Haye's latest comments have been so shocking and out of character. "I am really going to destroy Tony Bellew," Haye told Sky Sports.

"He's got under my skin, he's got his wish, he's wound me up. He's said all the things that he needed to do to get my back up. I have trained hard, I have enjoyed my training. "I can't wait until March 4, when I am allowed to punch him legally, because I have done it before, I didn't mean to do it, but tensions were high and I ended up punching him in the press conference. Things happen."

The friendly rivalry between the pair developed following Bellew's victory over BJ Flores back in October. The WBC Cruiserweight champion retained his title, and got into a heated verbal exchange with Haye, who was at ringside.

Bellew explodes at David Haye seconds after beating Flores! pic.twitter.com/H1VlgbfZyI

— Paul Zanon (@PaulZanon1972) October 15, 2016