Charr calls out Haye for Syria benefit bout

BERLIN (AFP) –

British boxer, David Haye at the Town Hall in Manchester, north-west England, on April 2, 2010. Former world heavyweight challenger Manuel Charr has vowed to donate half his purse to the Syrian peace process if loud-mouthed Brit David Haye will face him in the ring.

Former world heavyweight challenger Manuel Charr has vowed to donate half his purse to the Syrian peace process if loud-mouthed Brit David Haye will face him in the ring.

Charr was born Mahmoud Omeirat Charr in Beirut to a Syrian father but has lived most of his life in Germany.

Known as the ‘Diamond Boy’, Charr has not forgotten his origins and wants to do something to ease the suffering in the land of his ancestors.

And he can think of no better fight to help him do that than against Haye, who earlier Thursday announced his return to action after a year-long absence.

“I’ve heard Haye is still looking for an opponent for his next fight. He can stop looking, I’m here and I’m waiting for him,” Charr said.

The 29-year-old knows a clash with the brash and popular ‘Hayemaker’ would bring in perhaps his biggest ever pay-day, which is why he has pledged to donate half his earnings to charity.

Charr grew up in Beirut but his mother relocated to Germany when he was just five after his father was killed in the Lebanese civil war.

And it is in memory of his father that he has vowed to make a donation towards peace.

“That’s why I’ve decided to give half my purse to peace projects and to the Syrian people if David Haye agrees to fight me,” said Charr.

“We all need to fight together so that peace may reign.”

Charr has suffered only one defeat in 24 bouts as a professional, and that came in a WBC title challenge against Vitali Klitschko.

One of former undisputed cruiserweight champion Haye’s two career defeats came to Vitali’s younger brother Wladimir Klitschko in a unification bout in 2011.

Haye, 32, had claimed he would retire before his 31st birthday but he first came back to the sport last July when he knocked-out domestic rival Derek Chisora in five rounds.

On Thursday he announced he would fight again in June and was planning two bouts this year to try to force his way into a mandatory shot at one of the Klitschkos.