David Haye pledges to ‘execute’ Audley Harrison

The biggest all-British heavyweight boxing match up since 1993 has been announced, with David Haye defending his WBA world title against Audley Harrison in Manchester this November.

It will be Haye's second defence of the title he won from Russian Nikolai Valuev last November. And the champion says it will give him the chance to finally end the career of Harrison, who has spent a decade underachieving as a professional fighter since winning gold at the Sydney Olympics.

Haye had hoped for a unification fight against WBC champion Vitali Klitschko or his brother Wladimir, the WBO and IBF holder. But in the end had to settle for his former friend and fellow Londoner, Harrison.

"I don't believe Audley deserves a world title fight but fortunately for me there are enough people in Britain who want to see him get annihilated," announced Haye on Tuesday.

"The fight will be a public execution," he added. "The public want to finally close the curtain on the joke that is the Audley Harrison show."

Haye became a heavyweight champion after coming up from cruiserweight and beating the giant Valuev. He defended his crown against John Ruiz in April.

On paper Harrison is an easier opponent than either of those two. The 38-year-old from Northolt showed great promise when winning super heavyweight gold in the Sydney Olympics, but his career never took off.

He briefly held the little-known WBF heavyweight title but failed to live up to his potential. After losing to fellow Brotons Danny Williams and Michael Sprott he was humiliated in December 2008 when he was beaten by Belfast taxi driver Martin Rogan.

But he has earned a final tilt at glory after winning the televised Prizefighter tournament in 2009 and he told the press conference announcing the fight that he was not scared of Haye.

"He is a guy I groomed," said Harrison. "I have tasted his punches and power and he never hurt me in a training session."

The fight, on November 13, will be the biggest all-British fight for a world heavyweight title since Lennox Lewis stopped Frank Bruno in 1993 to retain the WBC title. ·