David Haye hopes to cut 'Beast' down to size

David Haye today insisted he has no concerns about the size of the task facing him when he fights heavyweight Nikolai Valuev for the world championship in Germany next month.

Valuev, the 36-year-old WBA title holder appropriately nicknamed the 'Beast from the East', would appear to have every advantage going for him when he defends his belt against Haye in Nuremberg on 7 November.

At 7ft 2ins tall the Russian will enjoy a nine-inch height advantage, at 24 stone he will be the heavier of the two men by seven stones and at 85ins his reach is 7ins longer than that of Haye.

But speaking on the eve of his 29th birthday, London-born Haye said: "Fighting for the world heavyweight championship is a dream that I've had all my life and I'm ready to do whatever is necessary to beat such a mammoth of a man."

The former undisputed world cruiserweight champion went on: "I know it will be hard. I've got to punch harder and with more frequency than ever before and my defence has got to be better than ever before.

"I'm also going to have to punch up at an angle, which is something I've never had to do before.

"But I sincerely believe this little man can beat the big man."