David Haye and his T-shirt (AFP Photo DDP / Clemens Bilan)

"He's been very provocative. He cut my head off for one magazine, that's pretty provocative, so I decided to fight this boy. Now I see Haye with a cut off head of my brother, my family member. What's going to be next? My dad's head? My mother's head? Will he attack my religion, my race? This is over the edge – it's not sport. This guy will be punished,” Wladimir Klitschko said as the two fighters came face to face at a news conference in London.

Haye continued to hurl insults at Klitschko during the conference, and frequently interrupted the champion, but Klitschko ignored him and kept on talking.

"After twelve rounds he will be a pizza face – then I will knock him out. He needs to be taught how to behave. I don't want to waste my energy on this trash talk. It's embarrassing for the sport. He's a loser and I want to shut his mouth," Klitschko said.

David Haye (22-1, 22 KOs), a former undisputed cruiserweight champion, who gave up all his titles to pursue his ambitions in the heavyweight division, as expected, did not take refuge in silence.

"I know as soon as my hands start connecting with his skull it's over," Haye said. "He's bigger and heavier than me and he's had more knockouts than I've had fights, but all that will just make it more impressive when I beat him."

"He doesn't go to war like a true heavyweight champion should," Haye added.