By Sean McDaniel: World Boxing Association (WBA) heavyweight champion David Haye (24-1, 22 KO’s) sent out a press release today, making fun of his November 13th opponent Audley Harrison (27-4, 20 KO’s), saying “We’re going to contact the British Boxing Board of Control and request that Audley be allowed to use the axe in the ring on November 13th.” Haye said in response to Harrison’s Youtube video where he had brought an axe with him to protect himself from bears while running in the mountains.

Haye apparently got a kick out of the video and couldn’t resist making fun of it. Haye said “Even with an axe in his hand, Audley doesn’t stand a chance. What good is an axe if you’re too scared to throw it? It’s a shame he couldn’t have used the axe to cut through the rubbish that has been coming out of his mouth recently.” Haye is talking about Harrison’s tendency to fight timidly and not let his hands go.

This has been one of Harrison’s biggest problems during his nine-year pro career, at least up until recently, that is. Harrison has been much more aggressive in his last four fights and was even able to capture the Prizefighter tournament, albeit against mostly novice opposition.

Haye is one to talk about things like courage, however, because he still hasn’t stepped it up and taken on the Klitschko brothers. Those were the fighters that Haye has said he would fight when he moved up to the heavyweight division in 2008. Thus far, Haye has fought Monte Barrett, Nikolay Valuev, and John Ruiz. None of those fighters are anywhere near the class of the Klitschko brothers. Valuev almost beat Haye, which gives you an indication of Haye’s talent level at the higher weight class.

Haye will be facing Harrison at the M.E.N. Arena, Manchester, Lancashire, on November 13th. It’s unclear who will be on the undercard of the fight, although boxing fans will likely not even care about that. This is a fight that will mainly attract fan interest in the UK, because Harrison isn’t well thought of in the U.S as o now. Unless Haye starts stepping it up soon, he’s not going to be well thought of either.