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Haye and Chisora announce rematch: This time in the boxing ring

May 8, 2012 -- Updated 1827 GMT (0227 HKT)
David Haye and Dereck Chisora were separated by a fence at the press conference to announce their bout
David Haye and Dereck Chisora were separated by a fence at the press conference to announce their bout
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
  • British heavyweight boxers David Haye and Dereck Chisora to fight on July 14 in London
  • The pair brawled at a press conference after Chisora's loss to Vitali Klitschko in February
  • Incident provoked widespread condemnation with Chisora stripped of boxing lilcense
  • Amir Khan's fight with Lamont Petersen in doubt after American fails drug test

(CNN) -- It was an ugly scuffle that cast a cloud over the sport of boxing as Dereck Chisora threatened to shoot fellow Brit David Haye, after they'd brawled at a press conference.

Now the pair have announced a rematch for July 14 in London -- this time in the more familiar surroundings of a boxing ring.

The duo traded blows in Munich after Chisora had been beaten by WBC heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko back in February.

The incident provoked widespread condemnation and saw Chisora stripped of his boxing license by the British authorities.

Chisora banned by World Boxing Council for Haye brawl

But after the fight was sanctioned by the Luxembourg Boxing Federation, the British rivals continued their war of words at a more sedate press conference, where they were separated by a steel fence.

"He is the ideal opponent for me," Haye, the former WBA heavyweight champion said. "I am so glad he has got a good chin because if he didn't have a good chin he would be blasted out in first round.

Boxers come to blows after fight
Boxing brawl fallout
Slapping, spitting before the fight

"This means I will give him a nice, slow, concussive beating. I tried to knock him out in Munich and this is the opportunity to shut him up."

Chisora replied: "I don't like him. Talk is cheap now. That was a lucky shot he hit me with in Munich. Your talk is cheap. You always talk but you don't deliver in the ring."

The fight's promoter, Frank Warren, denied he was undermining British boxing by having the bout licensed by another federation, or that he was cashing in on the ugly incident in Munich.

"This is not the end of British boxing," Warren said. "I believe it will be a sell out, a huge event. There are far far worse things happening in sport than what's happening here.

"No charges have been made against Haye or Dereck for what happened in Munich. The fight has been licensed by the governing body in Luxembourg, which has the same standards as the British Boxing Board of Control.

Chisora threatens to shoot Haye in brawl following Klitschko defeat

"It is the biggest fight of the year and the fact of the matter is that the fight is legal, lawful and will go ahead."

Even before his altercation with Haye in Munich, Chisora had caused controversy in the build up to his fight with Vitali.

He slapped his opponent at the weigh in and spat water in the face of Vitali's brother Wladimir Klitschko, the current WBA, IBF, WBO and IBO heavyweight champion, before his unanimous points defeat.

I tried to knock him out in Munich and this is the opportunity to shut him up
David Haye

Haye heckled Chisora at the post-fight press conference, before punching him in the face as they squared up. After the scuffle had broken up Chisora accused Haye of hitting him with a bottle and said: "I am going to shoot David Haye."

Haye retired after he lost his WBA crown to Wladimir Klitschko last year but had been lobbying for a fight with Vitali.

Meanwhile, Amir Khan's bid to regain his WBA light welterweight title from Lamont Peterson is in doubt after the American tested positive for a banned substance.

The pair are scheduled to meet in Las Vegas on 19 May in a rematch after Peterson won a controversial points victory at their original fight in December.

Peterson's camp said in a statement they were mystified by the test results, which showed synthetic testosterone, and that they remained hopeful the fight could go ahead.

"Lamont has never had a positive test either before or after this isolated occurrence, and we plan to submit medical findings by close of business Tuesday reflecting the actual facts in support of Lamont's good faith intentions and the requirements of the commission."

Peterson's split decision victory in Washington last year was controversial, Khan claiming he should have won the fight after being docked points by the referee.

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