David Haye believes he can "embarrass" Nikolai Valuev and "make him look silly" on Saturday by becoming the first fighter to knock out the WBA heavyweight champion.

Londoner Haye challenges Valuev in Nuremberg this weekend in just his second fight since moving up from cruiserweight.

In an attempt to hype the fight the Briton has called 7ft 2ins Valuev every name under the sun, including 'a bogeyman', 'a hairy freak' and 'a circus act' as well as bringing the champion's personal hygiene into question.

Valuev has reacted to Haye's taunts with dignity, casually dismissing the Englishman's comments, but the challenger is confident he will back up his trash talk.

Yet Haye cranked up the hype once more at the pre-fight press conference by claiming he will not only beat Valuev - who has never been knocked down in a career featuring 50 wins and one defeat - but also do it inside the distance.

Haye said: "I don't feel as though he has ever fought anybody in my calibre, he's never fought anybody in their prime or anybody fired up who gave up their title to come and fight him which I have done. I was undisputed cruiserweight champion and gave up those titles to move up and challenge for the heavyweight title.

"I'm not one of these guys he's used to fighting, guys who are over the hill, tainted, past their sell-by dates. I'm here, I'm fresh and I'm ready.

"Training has gone great and I'm going to make him look silly on Saturday night. I'm going to embarrass him and knock him out.

"The game plan is to hit him as much as I can and as often as I can. It's not like he's got a small head that I can't hit - there is plenty of it, so it shouldn't be a problem."

Valuev, however, remains unimpressed. He said: "It's nothing unusual to hear stuff like that and that someone would like to knock me out.

"But to speak a lot before the fight is easy and everyone can do that. You have to prove it and show what you can do in the ring.

"We'll see what you can do on Saturday. You (Haye) have a few more days to tell us what you intend to do on Saturday but then, finally, we'll see what happens."

Valuev's promoter Wilfried Sauerland has also been on the receiving end of Haye's verbal volleys - the Briton made a big show of leaving the hotel he had been booked into and accusing his hosts of playing "mind games".

However, Sauerland, like Valuev, remains unimpressed.

Asked about Haye's bullish predictions, he said: "I think we are going to see a very interesting fight on Saturday. We've heard these statements from a lot of Niko's opponents although he has been more exaggerated.

"However, afterwards at the press conference - if they could attend it because a few had to go straight to hospital - they are all very calm and very quiet. I'm sure it will be the same on Saturday."