London, Nov. 9 After toppling Russian giant Nikolai Valuev, Britain's David Haye not only became his country's sixth world heavyweight champion, but he also fulfilled a dream that he had since the age of three.
After beating 7ft 2in Valuev to become the new WBA world champion, Haye made a special phone call to his mum Jane.
Speaking straight after the fight from his dressing room in Nuremberg, Germany, he asked her: "What do you think, then?"
"You could see how ecstatic David was too, it was written all over his face. He phoned straight afterwards and asked me what I thought. I just said it was fantastic, marvellous. I could hardly get the words out," The Mirror quoted Jane, as saying.
He could barely hear her response amid the cheers and whoops of joy from the rest of the family as he added: "I've done it, haven't I?"
Delighted Jane, 50, adds: "David has always wanted to be the best. From the age of three, whenever I was upset, he would tell me: 'Don't worry mum, one day I'll be world champion'. He would watch Muhammad Ali, Lennox Lewis and all the greats and try to pick up tips from them. It is fantastic that now his name will be remembered alongside theirs."
After arriving back at Stansted last night, David described his opponent as "humungous - with a jaw that was like hitting a brick wall".
But he added: "I knew if I bided my time, I could beat him. I know I talk big, but I produce the goods. I said I'd make him look silly and make him miss - and I did. It's all a bit surreal. It's something I've dreamed of since I was a little boy."
David pocketed around five million pounds in the process, but his jubilant wife was more interested in getting him home.
Natasha Haye, who was at their Cyprus home looking after their 18-month-old son Cassius, said: "I've barely spoken to him in five or six weeks - I let him get on with what he has to do. But I always knew he was going to win."
Meanwhile, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown was among the first to pay tribute to him. "Congratulations to David Haye for his superb, courageous and determined performance." (ANI)
