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David Haye during the WBA World Heavyweight Title bout at the MEN Arena, Manchester Dave Thompson/PA Archive/Press Association Images

Haye to defend WBA title against Harrison

The Hayemaker to face EBU champion in new “Battle of Britain”

AN ALL-BRITISH fight is in store for the WBA world heavyweight title as David Haye is to defend his title against fellow Briton Audley Harrison.

The duo will meet at Manchester’s MEN Arena on 13 November. The fight is being already billed as “the biggest all-British fight for a world heavyweight title since Lennox Lewis defended his WBC crown by stopping Frank Bruno in 1993.”

Harrison won gold in the super heavyweight category at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games and had also previously won at the 1998 Commonwealth Games. His career was tipped to take off when he turned professional, but Harrison lost to Belfast cab driver Martin Rogan in 2008.

After winning Prizefighter last year, Harrison won the EBU heavyweight title in April to complete a remarkable turn in his fortunes. He knocked out Michael Sprott in the twelfth round to win the title.

A unification fight had been rumoured for Haye, against either of the Klitschko brothers. After talks collapsed, manager Adam Booth organised the fight against Harrison in what should be a sold-out MEN Arena.

The pair had been friends until last year, after a  very public falling out (see below video).

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