Ever since a deal was struck for Tyson Fury to face David Haye in Manchester on September 28, Fury has maintained his stance that his opponent's absence from the ring will cost him when they eventually lock horns in nine days' time.
Haye had signaled his intent to retire from the sport in 2011 after losing his WBA title to Wladimir Klitschko, before he got embroiled in a press conference brawl with Dereck Chisora after the world title challenger had lost out to the other Klitschko brother, Vitali.
A fight was soon made between the two, which Haye won with a stoppage in the fifth round, but again, it appeared as though the 32-year-old had ended his association with the sport when he opted to take part in the reality television show, I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!
But several months into 2013, Haye announced that he wanted another crack at winning the world heavyweight title, and after a return bout with Manuel Charr was shelved, negotiations with Fury soon began and the most anticipated domestic battle for over a decade was signed for the end of September.
The upcoming encounter will be just the second time in 24 months that Haye has stepped into a boxing ring, with Fury competing seven times in the same period.
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The unbeaten 25-year-old is banking on that statistic being the difference on fight night, but while he might have a case if this was a welterweight battle, it's naive of the Mancunian to believe that someone of Haye's fitness and ability will be hindered by time spent out of the ring.
Sure, it's not going to benefit Haye by spending less than 15 minutes in a ring in over two years, but time and time again on the heavyweight scene, it has been proven that it can take just one punch to end a fight, and the two-weight world champion is unlikely to be lacking in his usual speed and power.
Of course, Fury's insistence that being involved in 49 rounds compared to Haye's five could simply be a way of deflecting his underdog status, but there seems to be genuine belief in the 6'9" combatant that he has an advantage heading into the fight.
That's a dangerous mentality for Fury to possess because his theory is only justifiable if both boxers possess the same attributes, and, on paper at least, Fury is many levels behind Haye when it comes to the two qualities that have made the Londoner arguably the most exciting man in the division for the past three years.
It's difficult to predict what kind of tactics Fury will employ against Haye, but rather than convincing himself that he will enter the fight in much better condition that his opponent, he should not underestimate a much more athletic fighter.
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Fury has also claimed that his "heart and determination" will be enough to get him through the fight, but again, while no-one can doubt his ambition to win this fight, the same can be said of Haye.
The Bermondsey man has earned enough money from his 28-fight career to stay away from the sport on a permanent basis, but it's that burning desire to reclaim a world heavyweight belt and recover a reputation that took a hit when he tamely lost to Wladimir Klitschko that sees him preparing for another tilt at stardom.
Haye built himself up as the saviour of heavyweight boxing and ended up being made to look like a standard challenger who claimed that his game plan was effected through a broken little toe; and no matter how much he attempted to justify the injury, it has been something that has stuck with him.
The general consensus from boxing critics is that it's Fury who wants to win this fight more than Haye, while the sport's fans are confident that experience and raw-power will prove vital when they go toe-to-toe in the North West.
But one aspect that many are dismissing is Haye's own appetite to succeed at the top of the sport. While the mind games are undoubtedly going to continue from Fury, it is unlikely going to change the fact that Haye will likely land a punch that will put him back in contention for a shot at a Klitschko brother.
Darren Plant
