This is Eubank v Benn All Over Again Says Haye

Britain's world cruiser weight champions David Haye and Enzo Maccarinelli are to fight on March 8 in a long-awaited battle that the WBA and WBC title-holder Haye says could emulate the domestic rivalry of the two fights between Chris Eubank and Nigel Benn in the 90s.

The 27-year-old Maccarinelli, the Welsh WBO champion, has won 28 of his 29 fights with 21 knockouts, while Haye, who is also 27, has won 20 of his 21 fights with 19 knockouts, and the promoter Frank Warren has revealed that all three titles will be on the line in a showdown between two of British boxing's biggest punchers.

Haye said last night: "This is the modern-day Benn-Eubank. I'm glad that politics have been put to one side and that Frank Warren and my manager Adam Booth have made the fight happen. I feel that it is my duty as world champion to fight the very best and I guarantee that I will knock out Maccarinelli."

After he won the title there had been speculation that Haye would move up to heavyweight, but what Warren describes as "a great deal of money" - almost certainly a career-highest purse - has persuaded the Londoner to stay at 14st for at least one more fight, while Maccarinelli has been given the chance to prove that Haye cannot match his punching power.

"I am delighted Haye has finally put pen to paper," said Maccarinelli last night. "We are both big punchers, but I believe I am the harder hitter of the two of us. Once I drop Haye, he won't be getting up."

Warren has announced the fight will be broadcast live by Setanta Sports, one of three world championship contests he will stage for the channel. They include the world heavyweight title fight in Düsseldorf on January 19, when Bedford's Matt Skelton challenges the WBA champion Ruslan Chagaev of Uzbekistan, and a light-heavyweight contest between Bernard Hopkins and Joe Calzaghe to be announced for April.