boxing day david haye

Haye: I won't be rusty against Charr.

David Haye feels he will have to train as hard as he ever has done in preparation for his clash with Manuel Charr - but insists he is not concerned about ring rust, despite having been out of action for almost a year.

The bout at Manchester Arena on June 29 will see former WBA heavyweight champion Haye fighting for the first time since his grudge match victory over fellow Briton Dereck Chisora in London in July 2012.

Charr, 28, has been in action on three occasions since then, suffering a controversial defeat at the hands of WBC champion Vitali Klitschko before bouncing back with two victories to take his record to 23 wins with just one defeat.

Time is now: Manuel Charr (right) is hoping to knock David Haye off his perch

Haye (26-2), who had come out of retirement to fight Chisora, has no doubt he has his work cut out getting in shape for this contest, but has emphasised that he will be ready for Charr.

Speaking about Charr in Manchester today at a press conference attended by both fighters, Haye said: 'He is very strong and durable and he has got a lot of heart.

'When I fought John Ruiz here, he had a lot of heart, he kept coming and it was a great, entertaining fight.

'This guy is a lot younger - he is 28 years of age, and I am going to have to train as hard as I have ever trained because anything less than perfect preparation will leave me with a hard night's work, which is not want I want.

Toe-to-toe: The two heavyweights will meet in the North West next month

'I want to go out there and do what I do best and knock somebody out.