British heavyweight boxer David Haye poses during the weigh-in at a shopping center in Nuremberg, Germany, on Friday, November 6, 2009. Haye will fight Nikolai Valuev of Russia for the WBA heavyweight title on Saturday November 7. (ECKEHARD SCHULZ/AP)

NUREMBERG, Germany, November 6, 2009 (AFP) - British challenger David Haye weighed in seven stones (44kgs) lighter than WBA heavyweight champion Nikolai Valuev on Friday, but insisted he will bring the world title back to England.

Haye, looking relaxed and lean, tipped the scales at the weigh-in, held at a local shopping centre here in Bavaria, at a career-high of 98.9kg (218lbs or 15st 8lbs).

The Russian champion, who towered over the challenger, weighed 143.3kg (315.9lbs or 22st 8lbs) and the size difference between the boxers was startling as they starred each other down for more than a minute.

Haye has only a handful of fights at heavyweight having stepped up from cruiserweight, but he inists he is the fighter to put Valuev on the canvas for the first time in his 52-fight career.

"It's fairytale stuff," said the 29-year-old Haye, who is 23cm shorter than his opponent.

"When I envisaged winning the heavyweight title it was against someone big, obviously, but not this big.

"But I feel I've got the skill, the will and the heart to go out there, knock this Russian out and bring this title back to Britain."

Valuev has 50 wins on his record with 34 knock-outs, with just one defeat to Ruslan Chagaev in April 2007 and a non-contest from 1999.

United States promoter Don King, who is selling the fight in America on behalf of Valuev's German promoter Sauerland, was vocal in his support for the champion.

"Nikolai will knock-out Haye, that is all that matters: Knock-out Haye!" repeated the American.

Having described Valuev as a 'circus freak', Haye has taken every opportunity to trash-talk the champion, but the Russian insists he will use the British challenger's words as motivation.

Haye is a hard-puncher with 21 knockouts from 22 fights, the vast majority of which were at cruiserweight, but Saturday's fight will be a huge test of both his stamina and strength in dealing with a heavier and taller opponent.

But there promises to be plenty of support for Haye here on fight night with the Bermondsey fighter's travelling fans making the presence heard as they cheered the Brit and booed the Russian.