Haye wins ‘Battle of Britain’ in style to retain WBA heavyweight title

LONDON - WBA world heavyweight champion David Haye retained his crown in the ‘Battle of Britain’ with a third-round stoppage of 2000 Sydney Olympics gold medallist Audley Harrison in Manchester’s MEN Arena.

Haye won in convincing style as he floored his 39-year-old opponent after one minute 53 seconds into the third round.

Harrison crumbled under a barrage of blows and managed to land just one jab, as he looked painfully short of confidence in the all-British showdown on Sunday.

The WBA king insists that he was so in control and relaxed in the ring that he simply chose to end the fight as he had planned earlier.

“I’m very happy with it. I said to people close to me I would stop him in three rounds and that’s exactly what I did,” the BBC quoted Haye, as saying.

“I put a lot of money on the third round and lot of my friends and family did. I didn’t want to let them down by doing him too early,” he added.

Harrison said that his defensive style was part of his tactics and admitted that Haye deserves the championship title.

“I went in there believing I could win. I felt it was my moment, but wasn’t to be,” Harrison said.

“It’s disappointing, but I’ve no excuses. I had a chance at the world title, but I’ve come up short,” he added.

Haye will now have to try getting into the ring with one of the Klitschko brothers, WBC champion Vitali or IBF/WBO champion Wladimir. (ANI)