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Haye's been battering me - Thompson

Tony Thompson: Haye will destroy Harrison © Getty Images

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Tony Thompson, the man who supposedly floored David Haye in sparring, has told Audley Harrison that he is 'leagues below' Haye going into the November 13 showdown.

Haye and Harrison are set for the biggest All-British heavyweight boxing encounter since Lennox Lewis met Frank Bruno, with the WBA heavyweight title the prize for the winner. And in a clash of two former training partners, the trash talk ahead of the bout - particularly from the Harrison camp - has been relentless.

On Monday the Olympic gold medallist mocked Haye by claiming that sparring partner Thompson had put him on his back. Harrison said: "I want Haye to tell me and the rest of the world what Tony Thompson did to him a couple of weeks ago, because I hear Tony Thompson knocked him down in training.

"Tony Thompson is not a puncher, David Haye - I am. If Tony Thompson's putting you down, what the hell am I going to do to you? It's so beautiful. He brought in this guy trying to get publicity for him, but he's knocked him down already."

Thompson did not comment on the alleged knockdown, but he did offer his opinion on the outcome of the November 13 fight, insisting Haye will win 'easily'. And in a taunt that could lead to a future fight between Thompson and Harrison, the 38-year-old claimed Harrison is not even on his level.

"I couldn't have been more impressed with David in sparring, and he was twice the fighter I first thought he was," said Thompson. "I just think this is going to be an easy win for him on November 13.

"I told David at the beginning that if he can hit me with right hands and beat the hell out of me in practice, he will destroy Audley Harrison. If David can do what he did to me, Audley's got no shot in this fight at all.

"Audley is nowhere near on this level. He's leagues below where I'm operating and that's just common boxing knowledge. Anybody that has ever watched a fight on television knows that. Audley might be an Olympic gold medallist, but he's nowhere near me as a pro. I've achieved, beaten good guys and mixed with the best, whereas Audley has achieved next to nothing so far."

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