David Haye may not yet be a household name, but Audley Harrison is counted among his closest friends and Danny Williams insists he is the only man capable of sparring with him.

In short, he looks set to be a future British great.

Williams and Harrison are currently a few levels above the 21-year-old, who on Wednesday announced he was joining the professional ranks after signing a deal with the BBC.

But praise has already flooded in for the London-based boxer, even before he has received a penny for his efforts in the ring.

Haye, who will start his career as a cruiserweight, has already impressed many with his lethal potential in the amateur ranks.

Last year he picked up a silver medal in the heavyweight class at the world championships in Belfast and this year he looked the hot favourite to go one better at the Commonwealth Games.

But his chances were scuppered by injury.

Speaking prior to the Games, he revealed to BBC Sport Online that he is already measuring himself against Williams, the British heavyweight champion .

"He's told me I'm the only guy who can really push him," said Haye.

Harrison, meanwhile, was more cautious in his backing.

Despite deciding to turn pro, Haye confessed: "Audley advised me to go to the Olympics."

Williams and Harrison are all too aware that Haye has all the attributes required to shine at the highest level.

He is articulate and good looking, and boasts a lively personality both in and out of the ring.

His ability, as yet not truly tested, is a little harder to gauge, but he believes he "has the speed of a welterweight" as well as a hefty array of punches.

On the negative side, he is too light for the coveted heavyweight division.

At 200lbs, 50lbs lighter than the likes of Lennox Lewis, he knows he needs to bulk up.

Lazy tag

But, 15 years Lewis' junior, there is no rush.

He explained: "At six foot three inches, I'm pretty much the same build as Evander Holyfield.

"He won an Olympic medal at light-heavyweight and won a world title at cruiserweight before moving up."

A laziness tag also plagued him for the early part of his amateur boxing, which Haye insists is now long gone.

And, with Roy Jones Jnr as his idol, he is clear on where he wants to get to.

"I want to be number one - if I didn't believe I could be, I wouldn't do it," he said.