By Luke Chance

Just days remain before the long awaited clash between two of Britains best boxers, promising young talent David Haye 10(10)-0-0 and wily old veteran and reigning IBO Cruiserweight champion Carl 'The Cat' Thompson 32(24)-6-0. What a fight it promises to be.

The rugged Thompson coming off the back of a great win against the highly rated Sebastian Rothmann and the young and good looking David Haye coming off the back of a three round slaughter of serviceable former IBF world champion 'King' Arthur Williams.

The two biggest punching cruiserweights in Britain, in fact Haye is probably the biggest punching cruiserweight in the world, are on a collision course, and that will mean thrills, it will mean knockdowns and it could very well mean the fight of year. It could very well mean an upset.

For my money, Haye is already the best British cruiserweight in the world, and yes, I will include Johnny Nelson in that. Forget Enzo Maccarinelli, he might be good, but Haye oozes world class. Forget Mark Hobson, this guy isn't fit to carry David Hayes spit bucket let alone get in the ring with him. And if anyone even mentions Lee Swaby or Rob Norton I'll actually go mad.

Thompson came out of nowhere to defeat Sebastian Rothmann, and had been getting a sound beating for nine rounds, but anybody who says this makes him a has been is wrong, what it makes him is dangerous. Thompson has seen better days, yes. But at 40 years old he still has a wicked punch, the same punch that knocked Ezra Sellers down twice, and the same one which just months ago destroyed the useful Rothmann.

Haye has had a glittering amateur career, and has shone since turning pro blasting out each of his opponents in less than four rounds. I doubt the result at the end of this fight will be any different. I can't see any way that Thompson, or for that matter many Cruiserweights is going to stand up to Hayes power.

Haye hasn't gone more than four rounds as a pro yet, and if he's intelligent, which he is, he won't choose this fight to do it in. Thompson may be old, he may be past his best, and his chin has never been great, but would anybody else have liked to have been on the end of that shot he pulled out of his magic bag against Rothmann? I sure as Hell wouldn't, and it would have knocked any cruiser in the world spark out.

The card is being billed as 'Don't Blink'; it would probably be wise to follow this advice. Thompson has the power to end it with any right handed punch he throws. Haye has the power in either hand to stop it. This one is going to be a barnstormer.

More than this some people have questioned the integrity of Hayes chin after his knockdown against the light hitting Lolenga Mock. This fight will be a baptism by fire for him in this regard, as people are going to be very, very interested to see how he reacts if Thompson catches him.

However on this very subject the Haye camp have commented; "The faster Carl starts. The faster David lets the bombs go. We will prepare David as best as we can. We can't control what Carl does and how he reacts when he's hit. The big turning point in the fight will be when Carl hits David and doesn't get the result he was banking on. Too much has been made of the knockdown David suffered early in his career."

A lot of people are quick to write Thompson off as a has been, this is a mistake. Thompson insists that he is the world champion, not Haye. He will be the one bringing it to the youngster. He has been there, seen it, done it and surprised people against the odds time and again

I have heard whispers in dark corners of some people saying this fight is a bit of a joke that Thompsons as old as the hills, and Haye is just beating up old men. Well I can assure you this is untrue. Thompson may be the wrong side of 40, but if he is good enough to beat Sebastian Rothmann, then he is good enough to be David Hayes 11th fight. Not just that but Hayes last outing against doughty Arthur Williams was about as one sided as I have ever seen, and that's not because Williams wasn't a good fighter, and it's not because he didn't come to fight, it's simply because he had no answer.

If you look at Arthur Williams past form, he recently took quality prospect Vadim Tokarev of Russia the distance, losing a decision, and was decisioned by the much hyped American prospect Rydell Booker. Off the back of that victory Booker will now fight James Toney at heavyweight.

Whatever way you look at both of these men fought live, very dangerous and very challenging opponents in their last outings. Thompson was expected to lose, and there was a debate raging over whether Haye would win. Many boxing experts thought he had taken too much on. The result is we have one of the biggest domestic fights in recent years lined up. You have to go back to Benn-Eubank to find one more exciting.

Make no mistake, this fight is very real, and there is a lot at stake here for both men. In converse ways both careers are subject to critical fractures from a loss. Don't miss it. One way or another, this ain't going past four rounds. The only question is, will Thompson prove the Immovable Object to David Hayes Unstoppable Force.