David Haye faces sanction from British boxing after claiming he will 'hospitalise' Tony Bellew and 'do serious damage to his head'
David Haye's comments about Tony Bellew have drawn stinging rebuke from the British Boxing Board of Control, who will study the unsavoury comments this week - which could lead to a sanction against the fighter.
Haye meets his Liverpudlian rival in a grudge fight in London next weekend.
Robert Smith, Boxing Board secretary, told The Telegraph: "As a father, man and human being, I am very disappointed to see Haye's comments about wanting to hospitalise Bellew. Why has he chosen to say something like that ?
"I'm disappointed on several levels and coming from someone who is deemed to be a role model it is clearly not right, and we will be speaking with him this week."
Smith added: "Last night in Hull we saw a terrific contest between Gavin McDonnell and the Mexican Rey Vargas. McDonnell gave his all, and I then saw the two men together talking the fight over like friends afterwards later in the evening. That is how boxers should carry themselves, and this is the way many of us know boxers to be."
Boxing, its protagonists and their families had a harrowing year in 2016 with the death of Mike Towell, while Nick Blackwell and Edward Gutknecht were placed in induced comas after suffering head injuries against Chris Eubank Jr and George Groves respectively.
Smith was at the sharp end of dealing with those issues, and believes Haye should be minding his words.
"It's one thing trying to sell a pay-per-view event, and another thing coming out with offensive comments."
In an interview which appeared on Sunday, Haye said that he would "hospitalise" Bellew, adding that he would end his opponent's career and urged the Liverpool fighter's family not to watch the contest.
Haye, calling Bellew "a moron", said: "I'd be very surprised if he (Bellew) has a licensed fight after March 4. It's a good thing he'll get a big payday for our fight because that WBC title he's got will be pointless. He's so passionate. As he's said many, many times, he'll keep getting up.
"He said he's willing to die in the ring. If that is the case, and he is telling the truth, I'm the last person on the planet you want to fight. I punch that hard. The only thing that is going to happen is serious damage to his head. He has put himself in a very dangerous position.
"I hope if he does care for his family like he says he does, he does not invite them to the fight. He needs to make sure they do not watch it on TV at home. It would be pretty sad for his family to witness first hand live what I'm going to do to their dad or husband.
"He has definitely lit a fire under me. I'm going to make this fight the most spectacular knockout of all of my fights. I'm not worrying about body shots or jabbing.
"I'm looking at putting a combination together where he is unconscious but his brain hasn't told his legs to fall down and I'm still hitting him while he's upright."
Haye's comments also enraged the mother of Mike Towell, who called the London fighter "an idiot".
Haye and Bellew are due to come face to face in Liverpool on Monday in the first set-piece of a busy build-up in fight week.
