With great excitement I got the sofa ready past Saturday night for the WBA heavy-weight boxing bout between Nikolai Valuev and Britain’s David Haye. It was the first time I’ve been excited properly about boxing since the middle weight adventures of British fighters like Chris Eubank and Nigel Benn in the nineties. Recent Brits like Lennox Lewis and even Frank Bruno didn’t really grab me – Lennox sounded more Brooklyn than Brixton and Bruno was almost a pantomime performer.

I have to say this saturday just gone was primed for some interesting TV – David Haye ticks all the boxes with his age, look and chat – Valuev was there for the taking in a way – he seemed too mellow for the fight – a man mountain at 7 foot 2 who may just have been thinking that it was time for his poetry writing and animal bonding to take priority. in fact I couldn’t help but feel tinges of sadness when watching the celebrations at the end of the fight – with Valuev just standing quietly and alone in the background. it was an odd occasion all round really – first of all the location, Nuremberg – why? not exactly Las vegas but apparently the Russian has been more at home in germany during his champions reign – the actual stadium they fought was built on top of the actual place the infamous nazi Nuremberg rallies took place – a strange choice considering it was the eve of remembrance Sunday, but also Valuev’s entrance to  really bad live rock  would have disturbed anyone, fortunately not Haye who was still lip sinking the words to ‘ain’t no stopping us now’ through his iPod.

Now to the fight – how does a speedy Millwall fan combat a man 7 stones heavier and a full head taller? by ducking and diving and just being damn quick – this wasn’t helped by the fact that Haye apparently broke his right hand in the third round leading to extra emphasis from his left and more patience needed to wait till the very last round before unleashing a few combinations that almost had the giant Russian on the floor.

I’m sure it was this final round that swung the judges votes – it had been a pretty even until then. so there you have it – a new champion of the world in the blue ribbon weight category – Haye will go far. his trainer’s chilled chat in between the rounds was inspired and Klitschko better be ready.

Don King’s found his new payday !!!