Haye hoping to make a big impression in America

There are few more image-conscious boxers than David Haye, that is why, many say, he does his training in a plush West End gym rather than the normal facility-challenged boxing training establishments. The Third Space, within a few yards of Piccadilly Circus, must be nice, it costs a whopping £118 per month to be a member, but it does have a swimming pool, climbing wall, flotation tank and something called a hypoxic chamber - many boxing gyms are considered plush if they have a working toilet.

But Haye, the WBC and WBA cruiserweight champion who faces Enzo Maccarinelli, the WBO champion, at the O2 Arena on Saturday night, revealed a new image at a press conference on Tuesday - a full beard. He hasn't decided whether or not he will have it when he enters the ring against Maccarinelli.

Haye relocated his training base from Northern Cyprus to Miami, not only because it was warmer, but so he could get his body used to training for a fight which will start at about 2am. Back in London, with a threat of snow in the forecast, he noticed the difference.

"It's a bit nippy at the moment," he said. "I'm used to the heat at the moment, but when you are in the boxing ring with all the lights and the camera lights, it's hot. I've never really understood training in a cold gym.

"All the chatting has been done, it' about getting in and getting the job done. I'm getting in to work mode. All the hard stuff is done, it's just the fun time now. For me, this is the best time of being a boxer now, the week of the fight. All it's about is tapering down, getting your mind ready, watching boxing videos, everyone coming up to me wishing me luck, giving me their opinions of what's going to happen."

Haye believes a big win in the bout, which will be shown live in the United States, will make a big impact for him in America as he looks to move up to heavyweight. "This is the last fight at cruiserweight, there are no other fights worth talking about," he said. "I'm sure Enzo will be screaming for a rematch, but he can do it at heavyweight and I'll knock him out even quicker.

"America are going to see the future of the heavyweight division in this final fight in the cruiserweight division, I'm signing off with a bang. They are going to see some real big fights coming up over the next couple years. The buzz is out there already. Going to the gyms, everyone knew who I was already, they've seen me on the internet and it's the first time one of my fights has been shown live there.

"I can bring a bit of power to the heavyweights. I watched [Wladimir] Klitschko [v Sultan Ibragimov] in a bar in Miami and everyone was really pumped for it. It was the first heavyweight unification since Lennox-Holyfield and Ibragimov had done a lot of work in Miami. But it was one of the worst boxing matches I've ever seen, it was embarrassing, I was ashamed to be a boxer watching it. You've got a guy 6ft 6in, all the power in the world and he's scared to take a jab from a little southpaw.

"He wouldn't be able to get away with that against me. If he had spent half the time trying to punch him in the head that he spent slapping his hand, he might have stopped the guy. People say he's the best, so if that's all I've got to worry about, I might be able to get that undisputed title at heavyweight very quickly."