DAVID HAYE has continued to fan the flames ahead of his WBA heavyweight title challenge against Nikolai Valuev on November 7, describing the Russian giant as the “bogeyman” ahead of their fight in Germany. Outspoken former cruiserweight champion Haye has dominated the build-up to the fight with regular jibes and publicity stunts aimed at the 7ft 2ins champion. The Londoner, who concedes around eight stone and nearly a foot to Valuev, is seemingly trying to lure the champion into a scrap rather than allowing the Russian to keep him at arm’s length. But even Haye himself admits that may be a dangerous ploy. “This is the craziest fight of my life, in terms of preparation and the fight itself,” said the Englishman (22-1, 21KOs) ahead of their showdown in Nuremberg a week on Saturday. “Valuev looks like the bogeyman. Kids try to remove his mask when he goes trick-or-treating on Halloween. He’s a big, scary and intimidating guy and a lot of people are scared for me in this fight. “I’m having to do things I’ve never done in my life before. “I’m punching up for the first time in my career and, not only that, I have to almost leap with my punches. I’m sparring with big lumps, guys that are weighing upwards of 20 stone in weight and standing at around the seven-foot mark. It’s taking its toll on my body each and every session, but it’s a price I have to pay.” Haye, who looked tiny standing next to Valuev at a press conference in Germany, insists he will not be daunted by the sheer size difference. He said: “A lot of Valuev’s opponents simply don’t know how to deal with the size aspect. They are overwhelmed as soon as they touch gloves at the start of the fight. Even though everyone knows Valuev is a giant, it often takes some of his opponents by surprise when they realise just how tall and heavy he is, as well as the fact he can box a bit, too.” With Halloween in mind, Haye went a step further by likening Valuev to a Hollywood monster. “In between training sessions, I’ll often watch DVDs of King Kong, Godzilla or Frankenstein, just to keep my mind on the task in hand and remind myself of the magnitude of the challenge,” he added. | 
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