LONDON: Britain's former world heavyweight champion David Haye will make his comeback in a London fight against Australia's Mark de Mori in January, he announced on Tuesday.
Haye, 35, last fought in July 2012 when he beat compatriot Dereck Chisora, but withdrew from proposed bouts against Manuel Charr and Tyson Fury the following year due to injury.
The smooth-talking Londoner was advised to retire by surgeons after undergoing shoulder surgery, but will now make his return against 33-year-old De Mori at the O2 Arena on January 16.
"I'm so happy to be able to step back through the ropes and back into the ring, where I do my best work," Haye told a press conference at the fight venue.
"I've always set the bar high in my career and I will continue to do so. Please sit back and get ready for another fun-fuelled heavyweight campaign to the very top.
"It's been a long three and a half years out, with many ups and downs, but 'The Hayemaker' is finally back and ready to do what I do best. I've a new team, new look and new inspiration to achieve my goals."
A former unified cruiserweight world champion, Haye stepped up to heavyweight in 2009 and won the WBA title by defeating giant Russian Nikolai Valuev in Nuremberg.
He successfully defended his title against John Ruiz and Audley Harrison, before conceding it in July 2011 to Klitschko, who fights Fury in Dusseldorf this Saturday.
Haye (26-2-0) recently began working with trainer Shane McGuigan -- son of former world featherweight champion Barry McGuigan -- who also works with super-bantamweight world champion Carl Frampton.
Perth-born De Mori (30-1-2) last fought a month ago in Germany, beating German Marcel Zeller by first-round knockout.
Comments
Comments are closed.