David Haye needs to join the queue – and prepare to write a big cheque – if he wants his protege Joe Joyce to fight Norwich's British heavyweight champion Sam Sexton.

Former world champion Haye has claimed he has already been in contact with Sexton.

'We've offered Sam Sexton to fight Joe for the British title next,' he is reported as saying.

'I've offered him a career-high pay day. Haven't heard back from him yet.'

But Sexton's trainer Graham Everett says the claim is wide of the mark.

'Not true,' he said.

'They are not in a position to be telling anybody what to do.'

Sexton won the vacant belt in Edinburgh earlier this month, beating Gary Cornish on points.

'The next move is very important for Sam, obviously,' added Everett. 'There are a lot of options and a lot of possibilities and when the time is right we will sit down and talk about it, but we mustn't forget that Sam only won the title a few weeks ago.

'I know that David Haye's priority is his fighter, but if they want to fight Sam it is going to cost them a lot of money.

'They will have to pay for their convenience – if they want to jump the queue then they are going to have to get their cheque book out.'

Joyce – a silver medallist at last year's Olympics in Brazil – has fought just once as a professional, stopping Ian Lewison in the eighth of 10 rounds last weekend.

Haye – who has also reportedly offered Dave Allen a fight against Joyce – is hoping the 32-year-old will appear on the undercard of his own rematch with Tony Bellew in December.

'Both of those guys could fight Joe on the undercard of my fight in December, so hopefully one of them comes through,' said Haye.

'Hopefully people are brave. Sexton just won the British title, to fight someone in their second pro fight in a 12 rounder you'd think he'd be brave enough to do that.'

Everett said: 'Sam is not bothered about anybody – he will fight anyone, but it has to make sense for himself and for Team Sexton.

'He has worked hard all of his life to get where he is now – being the British champion, and we have every intention of keeping that title.'