That ambitious call-out has paid off.
Most fans didn’t take Jimi Manuwa too seriously when, after his March victory over Corey Anderson, the British light heavyweight called out David Haye for an unlikely boxing match.
It was around then that the talk of Conor McGregor switching codes to meet Floyd Mayweather in the ring really began intensifying and Manuwa wanted to secure a similar payday by making his boxing debut against a legitimate superstar of the sport.
"@mrdavidhaye lets do this"@POSTERBOYJM calls out the former heavyweight champ for a boxing showdown.🤔 #UFCLondon https://t.co/XYD6mHv0ui
— UFC on TNT Sports (@ufcontnt) March 18, 2017
Very few people ever foresaw Haye vs. Manuwa actually coming to fruition but a verbal agreement was seemingly made on Friday night between the Londoners to clash in early 2018.
Both men were at BAMMA 31 when Manuwa approached the former world heavyweight and cruiserweight champion to repeat his desire to fight him.
Jim Edwards of MMAUno was in attendance and captured the back-and-forth in which Haye apparently let slip that he’s hopeful of a rematch with perennial rival Tony Bellew in December.
But after ruling himself out of a match-up with Manuwa in 2017, Haye then reportedly agreed to a bout in early 2018.
“It’s on. The fight’s on!” Manuwa said.
“He wants it. I want it. He said he’s got one more fight before we’re going to do it.
“(It will be sometime between) the beginning of next year to the middle of next year.”
