Valuev unfazed by Haye antics ahead of title fight

Russian heavyweight boxer and current holder of the World Boxing Association (WBA) title Nikolai Valuev (L) and British heavyweight boxer David Haye pose after a news conference in Nuremberg September 22, 2009.

BERLIN (Reuters) - WBA heavyweight champion Nikolai Valuev said he was unfazed by David Haye's pre-fight antics after the challenger switched hotels on Tuesday calling the choice of the organizers a "rancid lair."

Haye, who takes a 21-1 record into the bout with the 'Beast from the East' in Nuremberg on Saturday, said on his blog the German promoters had booked him a hotel where he would catch "guaranteed Black Death."

Organizers said they had booked the Briton into one of the leading hotels in the city and could not understand what his complaints were about.

"I don't care whether he can sleep or not and I don't really care what hotel he stays in," Russian Valuev said in a statement.

"I am really looking forward to Saturday night when I will meet him in the ring and defend my title. I cannot wait to land a few heavy blows on him."

Standing at seven foot and weighing 320 pounds (145-kg), Valuev is the tallest and heaviest world champion of all time and has yet to be floored or knocked out in his 16-year professional career, with only one defeat in 50 bouts.

Haye, who has previously called Valuev "the ugliest thing I have ever seen," is a former world cruiserweight champion.

He is aiming to become Britain's first heavyweight champion since Lennox Lewis retired six years ago.

(Writing by Karolos Grohmann, editing by Tony Jimenez)