Boxing: Haye delivers thinly veiled Bellew threat

British boxer David Haye speaks during a press conference in east London on March 2, 2017. PHOTO: AFP

London (AFP) - David Haye warned Tony Bellew to "enjoy your last days" as he escalated a spiteful war of words between the feuding British heavyweights ahead of their showdown on Saturday.

Haye had already been criticised for the aggressive tone of his threats to Bellew in the acrimonious lead-up to their highly anticipated bout at London's 02 Arena, but the 36-year-old was in typically combative mood at Thursday's press conference.

"Enjoy your last days. There's not going to be another day: this is the last day for you. That's it: it's over," Haye said.

"I'm legally allowed to do as much damage (to) him as I can inflict for 36 minutes with 10oz (280g) gloves on.

"He says he's going to keep getting up: I hope that's the case.

"Make sure your little rat coach (Dave Coldwell) doesn't throw the towel in to try and save you for another day. Make sure your boy doesn't throw in the towel.

"He's got under my skin, he's chased me for a year and a half, really made things personal. I'll make sure he never, ever, ever does that again."

Haye and Bellew - who starred in the hit 2015 boxing movie Creed - already face censure from the British Boxing Board of Control (BBBofC) for a series of crude and threatening remarks in the ill-tempered build-up to the fight.

The BBBofC were planning to discuss with Haye the insults he launched at a section of fans at a press conference on Monday, for which he has already insisted he will not apologise.

And the board is sure to take a dim view of his latest salvo, in which he added: "He said something to me when we were face-to-face: that he wouldn't beat the old David Haye.

"Unfortunately the new David Haye is better than the old one: you're going to see a real destruction job."

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