Haye-Klitschko Fight to Revive Heavyweight Division for Boxing?

Today's David Haye-Wladimir Klitschko championship bout is a big event for boxing. Or rather, it would be if Haye and Klitschko were the biggest names in boxing, even though they are fighting to unify the heavyweight division. In the past, unification heavyweight fights made massive headlines, since they were fought by the sport's biggest stars. But these days, the division is not what it used to be, and neither are its champions.

Klitschko and his brother Vitali may be the only heavyweights that casual boxing fans have heard of in the last decade. The days of Ali, Frazier, Foreman, Lewis and Tyson are long gone, with smaller fighters like Manny Pacquaio and Floyd Mayweather Jr. as the sport's major headliners.

As such, the Haye-Klitschko battle on Saturday is struggling to get on the radar, since many more people are looking forward to a Pacquaio-Mayweather fight that may never come. Nevertheless, this bout will unify the heavyweight division at long last, with IBF and WBO champion Klitschko trying to claim Haye's WBA belt.

Americans may have a hard time getting excited, since Haye is British, Klitschko is Russian, and the fight is being held in Hamburg, Germany. Still, American golf fans had no trouble with Irishman Rory McIlroy dominating the U.S. Open two weeks ago, especially since they were starved for something big with Tiger Woods gone.

Boxing hasn't had a Woods-like fighter in some time, at least in the heavyweight ranks. The Klitschko have had control of the division for years, although their brutal knockouts haven't excited everyone. Wladimir and Vitali haven't had that many real challenges, which is why hopes are high for Haye to put up a few roadblocks against Wladimir.

Haye is only 23-1, yet he has already spawned comparisons to Lennox Lewis, and not just because both are British. Although he hasn't been a heavyweight for long, his style of aggressive fighting may be enough to stand tall against Klitschko's power, in a way that few have been able to do over the years.

Even if Haye triumphs, it may only break apart the Klitschko era for so long, since the 30-year-old has promised to retire after 2011. However, should he win on Saturday, he may have too many opportunities, and too much buzz, to walk away as easily.

Boxing needs a new big name heavyweight, since the sport does a lot better when that division is making headlines. Pacquaio and Mayweather have led the way for years, but the fact that they just can't find a way to fight each other has been a glaring asterisk.

At the least, the Haye-Klitschko bout proves that a weight class's two biggest names can actually agree to fight each other and unify a division. Boxing fans now hope it will pay off on Saturday night, as coverage starts on HBO at 9:45 p.m. ET.

Sources

SI.com- "More on the line than title during Haye-Klitschko heavyweight bout"