Harrison Targets Haye; Diaz-Marquez, John-Juarez – Boxing News

Audley Harrison announced today he is targeting a bout with long time friend David Haye, after Audley was snubbed in his attempt to kick start his career on a Hayemaker promoted show. ‘I hear David is looking for a warm up bout after Wladimir decided they over played their hand. The latest I’m hearing from America is David is going to have to wait now and Wladimir is looking at other options.’

‘I am happy to step into the ring with David and pay him back after the last sparring session we had where he took liberties after my first lost to Danny Williams. To make it worse, Lennox Lewis had come to see me. David and his sidekick Adam turned up unannounced and tried to blast me out. When people were telling me ‘he’s using you’ and ‘that was uncalled for’, I pushed it aside.’

‘When I used to put him on my shows, when no one knew who he was, he was not even required to sell tickets or help promote the show in any way, people said ‘he’s using you’, but I brushed it aside. When I let down all my friends and brought David as my ringside guest for Tyson versus Francis, ‘he’s using you’ they said but I ignored it. When I brought David as my private guest to P Diddy’s Private Party,’ he’s using you!’ they said. Over and over again I’ve heard this, but I always thought that I had read David right. I’m awake now and can’t really recall when David has really gone out of his way for me.’

‘All I wanted was an opportunity to appear on the Ryan Rhodes under-card in March. I’m told, sorry bud, no room for you. He didn’t even speak to me; he had Adam speak to me, which was even more insulting.’

‘So David, it looks like you have forgotten all the times I’ve gone out of my way for you, both professionally and personally.’

‘If you are still considering a warm up bout before your world title tilt, then I’m sure the British public would love to see you send me into retirement. They might say I am undeserving of a shot at you but who else are you going to fight? You say you want a challenge, well I know you David and I don’t think you really think you can walk through me and take me out. I dare you to make this match.’

It will be personal.

HBO SPORTS SERVES UP A DOUBLEHEADER OF FURIOUS ACTION WHEN WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING®: JUAN MANUEL MARQUEZ VS. JUAN DIAZ AND CHRIS JOHN VS. ROCKY JUAREZ

IS SEEN LIVE SATURDAY, FEB. 28 ON HBO

HBO Sports presents a doubleheader of furious ring action when WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING: JUAN MANUEL MARQUEZ VS. JUAN DIAZ AND CHRIS JOHN VS. ROCKY JUAREZ is presented live SATURDAY, FEB. 28 (10:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. PT) from the Toyota Center in Houston, exclusively on HBO. The WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING team of Jim Lampley, Max Kellerman and Emanuel Steward will be ringside for the event, which will be presented in HDTV and in Spanish on HBO Latino.

Other HBO playdate: March 1 (8:00 a.m.)

The highly anticipated main event pits former featherweight and super featherweight champ Juan Manuel Marquez (49-4-1, 36 KOs) from Mexico City, Mexico against former lightweight champ Juan Diaz (34-1, 17 KOs) in a scheduled 12-round blockbuster lightweight title contest. Competing for only the second time as a lightweight, Marquez looks to make a statement in his new division by taking on Diaz in his hometown for the belts vacated when Nate Campbell was unable to make weight for his Feb. 14 defense. The popular and engaging former unified lightweight champion, Diaz seeks to reestablish himself in the division and regain championship status.

The evening opens with undefeated featherweight title-holder Chris John (42-0-1, 22 KOs), from Jakarta, Indonesia, battling Houston’s Rocky Juarez (28-4, 20 KOs) in a scheduled 12-round bout. John has fought his entire career in Indonesia, Japan and Australia, and now puts his title on the line in his American debut. Top-rated challenger Juarez was last seen scoring an 11th-round victory over Jorge Barios on HBO in September.

All WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING events are broadcast in HDTV. HBO viewers must have access to the HBO HDTV channel to watch HBO programming in high definition.

The executive producer of WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING is Rick Bernstein; producer, Jon Crystal; director, Marc Payton.

® WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING is a registered service mark of Home Box Office, Inc.

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