DAVID HAYE breathed a new lease of life into heavyweight boxing at the weekend. A weight division with such a proud history and such great potential seems to have faded into a dull and disappointing shadow of its former glories.

The heavyweight division used to be the pinnacle of boxing but it has taken a back seat in recent years to the more entertaining lighter divisions. The shortage of quality contenders is largely responsible for its dwindling popularity.

Heavyweight boxing’s deficiency in talent has been plain for all to see in the past few years, with a constant absence of heavyweight boxers in the Ring magazine’s definitive top ten pound for pound boxers.

And yet boxing is a spectacle first and a sport second. For heavyweight boxing to reclaim its appeal it needs its pantomime villains like Mike Tyson and its arrogant and yet loveable heroes such as Ali. However boxing does not need to resort to the grotesque to satisfy its audiences.

Evander Holyfield has just announced that he will be fighting the seven foot Valuev for the WBA belt. Although this might cause a ripple of excitement, it will surely only satiate the appetite of those with nostalgic memories of the feats of the former legend. Win or lose, the match can only succeed in becoming a freak show. The monstrous Russian will swing mighty and inaccurate blows while Holyfield will have to draw on all of his waning talent to force the match to a points decision. This surely isn’t the spectacle that heavyweight boxing needs.

Currently all five heavyweight belts are held by big bruising, and worst of all, modest Eastern Europeans. Although the Klitschko brothers are more than proficient, they are, dare I say, a little boring.

While it might be a language barrier that prevents the brothers from the stereotypically verbose voicing of prowess, they appear nonetheless a little too humble for the position of the greatest heavyweight boxer on the planet.

Boxing has played host to some of the most egocentric characters in sport, and this is no bad thing. There is nothing more satisfying than seeing a self-proclaimed world contender beaten to the floor, except perhaps watching such overawing self-belief vindicated in a victory.

The stark contrast between David Haye and Vitali Klitschko was there for all to see in the post match interview when Haye rated himself as “the best pound for pound boxer in the world” while Vitali smiled on. Haye’s belief in his own abilities stretches so far that he showed little interest in which Klitschko he would fight next: “Flip a coin, I don’t care”. Although this might smack of disrespect, this remark simply reflects his conviction that he is now the main event in heavyweight boxing.

So why is a cruiser weight champion causing such a stir in heavyweight boxing? Is it that he has such talent that he cannot fail in his march on the title of undisputed heavyweight champion of the world? Only time will tell, but no matter how small a prospect, it is now a possibility.

Since Lewis retired as undisputed champion of the world there has been no contender to assume the greatest of all mantles. The Klitschko brothers made an admirable and yet frustrating promise to their mother to never to step into the ring together. This has robbed boxing of the greatest accolade of boxing: “The heavyweight champion of the world”.

The two brothers are likeable, admirable, highly proficient and for all this they have undermined heavyweight boxing. Boxing is a circus and it revels in the ridiculous antics of its performers. It requires athletes to be blinded by their own hubris and be oblivious to the absurd circus they are central to. David Haye is the very man for the job. He confidently embraces his own talent and pays little lip service to modesty.

Whether he is the finished article is yet to be seen. He certainly proved his tenacity in knocking Monte Barret to the ground five times in five rounds. He showed some of the evasive skills that made him undisputed cruiserweight champion, ducking and weaving under the slow jabs of Monte Barret.

Haye is nobody’s fool either. Rather than getting drawn into a long and messy slugging match with a heavier and more bruising opponent he circled menacingly and drew the initial bite and confidence from Barret. Haye has that crucial ability of placing doubt and fear of failure into the mind of his opponent. Constantly swiping at clean air has to affect even the most stubborn of opponents.

However it is yet to be seen whether he can survive the meatier fists of the Klitschko brothers. He gives away around 15kg in weight and a few inches in height to the two brothers. Haye will be under no illusions that the Klitschkos will be dispatched as easily as the stubborn Monte Barret. The two brothers are an entirely different kettle of fish. What they might lack in charisma they more than make up for in technical nous.

That being said heavyweight boxing is now assured of a genuine contest. The stage is set for a new pantomime. Haye, bright and brilliant, will have to fell the three giants if he is to secure his position in heavyweight history.

With rumours surrounding the return of Lewis, let us hope Haye can make a significant enough impression that boxing doesn’t need the return of yet another ageing legend to distort the magnificent spectacle that is heavyweight boxing.