David Haye believes the delay to Dereck Chisora’s heavyweight fight with pound-for-pound star Oleksandr Usyk means he is far better prepared.

Chisora and Usyk were originally due to face each other back in May before the coronavirus pandemic forced the fight to be cancelled.

Promoter Eddie Hearn was then unsure if terms could be agreed for a re-scheduled bout without crowds at the event, but on Wednesday it was revealed the heavyweight dust-up will take place on October 31.

And Haye, who now manages Chisora but also shared a ring with him in 2012, feels it is the perfect time for the Brit to spring a surprise on the undefeated Olympic gold medallist.

"Believe it or not, I'm actually thankful the fight has been postponed as long as it has done," he told Sky Sports.

"I believe his chances of winning on October 31 are significantly higher than earlier on in the year, because he's spent every day focusing on a tricky southpaw.

"If you look at Derek's record against Usyk, it's like 'Okay, there's going to be one winner'. But what Usyk doesn't understand, the heavyweight division is very different from every other division in boxing. It's about size, it's about weight and one shot.

"Ask Povetkin. One shot it takes to turn the tide. Anything can happen. In the heavyweight division, it's so up in the air.

"But when Derek is doing what he's been doing in sparring against good quality opposition every day, the gaps that he used to have are getting filled in with good quality action. He's going to cause an upset and it's going to shock so many people."

Usyk has a perfect professional record after 17 fights and was the undisputed cruiserweight champion before moving up to heavyweight.

Chisora has lost nine fights in his up and down career, but is on a run of three successive wins since being knocked out by Dillian Whyte in December 2018.