When WBA champion Haye gate crashed to watch his idol Lewis fight

London, Mar 31 (ANI): WBA heavyweight champion David Haye, who will be taking on American challenger Johnny Ruiz on Saturday, had gate crashed the London Arena 10 years ago to watch Lennox Lewis retain the world heavyweight title

Spotlights will track Haye, now 29, as he walks to the ring to defend his WBA title in front of a sell-out crowd at Manchester's MEN Arena.

But things were different when he and some of his friends got into the now-defunct London venue to watch Lewis destroy Frans Botha in two rounds.

"One of my pals paid for a ticket. He went in and opened a fire exit so we could all bundle in although a security guard was trying hard to stop us," The Sun quoted Haye, as saying.

"We all ran round him and disappeared into the crowd before meeting up by ringside where I did a bit more blagging. I sat there just feet from the apron, a 500 pound ticket for nothing.

"We got there as Lennox was coming to the ring. He was a massive idol of mine. To watch him dispatch Frans Botha like that was brilliant," Haye said.

"Back then I would never have thought in a million years I would be the next Briton defending the heavyweight title over here. I feel proud about it," he said.

Bookies have Haye as favourite but he is taking no notice of the odds.

"In the heavyweight division, one punch can settle it all. You can come unstuck if you don't prepare right," Haye added. (ANI)