Confidential at the Haye v Harrison weigh-in

Saturday night’s all right for fighting in Manchester this weekend, as David Haye goes up against Audley Harrison in an all-British heavyweight title fight.

The biggest cheer of the afternoon was reserved for a surprise guest, former heavyweight champion of the world, Lennox Lewis, who is absolutely effing massive in the flesh.

Haye’s WBA belt is at stake and he’s odds-on favourite despite giving away three stones to his older and taller opponent.

The weigh-in was a curious affair. As Moyo and I made our way through the Lowry centre, the mix of old dears coming out of matinees and meatheads downing pints waiting for the call to their seats made for interesting viewing.

Most of the security blokes on the doors and the stage were bigger than the fighters themselves. Press and other associated hangers-on got the ground floor of the theatre, the public filled the two upper tiers. They were in vocal mood for a mid-afternoon, and heavily in favour of a Haye win according to a Sky Sports-led show of hands.

Harrison’s supporters were in fine voice though, and when the two main men finally appeared on stage, it almost descended into panto, with cries of “yes he can,” and “no he can’t” fired back and forth between rival fans.

But the biggest cheer of the afternoon was reserved for a surprise guest, former heavyweight champion of the world, Lennox Lewis, who is absolutely effing massive in the flesh.

He was a diplomatic interviewee as well. Half a dozen TV crews tried to get him to call the fight, but he deflected it like a badly-thrown jab, saying it would go ‘to whoever’s better on the night’ and so forth.

I collared him as he was preparing to leave the stage. If it was his title on the line, who would he rather be fighting? He smiled, sucked his teeth a bit, shook his head, laughed and walked away. There ended my 0.482 second interview with the champ.

Haye, as you can see in the video footage expertly shot by Miss Moyo, thinks his speed and explosive punching power will get him through. Harrison was in no mood to agree. “I’m not messing around. I’m here to win. David Haye is getting knocked out.”