Warren Hits Out at Haye Late Show

Frank Warren branded David Haye "unprofessional" after the World Boxing Association and World Boxing Council cruiser weight champion failed to show up on time for a head-to-head press conference with World Boxing Organization champion, Enzo Maccarinelli, ahead of their world title unification fight at London's O2 Arena tomorrow.

Haye arrived at the arena some 90 minutes after Warren, the promoter, had scheduled the start. According to Haye, he had arrived at the time agreed. "I'm here when I said I would be here," he said. "They moved the time forward and I never agreed to it. We told them [Warren's company, Sports Network] a week ago when we were prepared to do it. I trained at 2am this morning and wasn't in bed until 6.30am because I need my body to be right for the fight, which will begin at 2am. I have been training in Miami and I need to keep my body clock right for the fight. Many athletes will tell you that sleep is vital and they were trying to break up my sleep pattern."

Warren described Haye as "paranoid" and said the fighter had first changed his flight from the US and had then moved hotels to a secret location after arriving in London. "I'd have arranged for a boat to get him to the O2 on time but he'd be worried about submarines," said Warren. "He and his trainer think there is some sort of conspiracy theory going on, which is mad. This is not the 1940s. My name's Frank Warren, not Frank Carbo [a mafia figure who was once a dominant force in boxing]. This is supposed to be a head-to-head and it's a head. Enzo traveled down from Wales to be here on time. I'm paying David Haye a huge amount to fight and I would have thought he would have the courtesy to be here on time out of respect to the promotion and his opponent. His behavior has been appalling."

Maccarinelli's trainer, Enzo Calzaghe, added: "Haye didn't want to be here. He didn't want to be face to face. What's this crap about sleep patterns? He's frightened, petrified."