And the 28-year-old Haye, of London England, is the type of fighter that can change the complexion of a heavyweight division that needs change.  More excitement, a new name and interest has been lacking in the division since Mike Tyson left the scene and fellow countryman Lennox Lewis retired.

The mission now as a heavyweight is to do what Evander Holyfield accomplished, that is cruiserweight champion to heavyweight king. A tough task, but possible as Haye (22-1, 21 KO’S) is preparing to dethrone Wladimir Klitschko the IBF, WBO, IBO champion at the Veltins-Arena in Schalke Germany on June 20^th. A fight televised live on HBO Sports.

A 60,000 seat soccer stadium is the venue, enemy territory for Haye, who reminds many of the legendary Champion Muhammad Ali. The resemblance to Ali is not with his style in the ring because Haye is relatively unknown partly because the cruiserweight division lacks interest and exposure.

But the more subtle antics of Haye on a podium to promote a fight are very similar to Ali. “I feel as though I have been sent to by all the great heavyweights of yesteryear to clean up and save the heavyweight division,” said Haye Thursday in New York City to promote his fight with Klitschko.

References to Ali, who Haye says, motivated him towards a boxing career, first as an amateur champion in England and now as a successful but still unknown heavyweight contender.

Haye, the number two contender wanted this fight. He has been calling for this Klitschko brother. The other brother, Vitali, holds the WBC version of the heavyweight title. The two brothers have made it known they will never fight each other in an attempt to unify the division that is more like alphabet soup and titles held by names from Eastern Europe.

“I am just being myself through all of this,” he said.  “When people find out I am here they will know I mean business.”  Though Klitschko vows victory he wants to also administer some punishment to Haye because of the nasty exchanges that have occurred between the two fighters.

Haye has been wearing a tee-shirt that denounces the Klitschko brothers since the fight was announced in Germany last week.  But in many ways, it is also a shirt that Haye has worn to announce his intentions.

“The first step is to get the Klitschko brothers out of the way,” said Haye when asked about his attempts to unify the division   The fight will be broadcast live on HBO from Germany at 4:45PM and replayed at 10:PM. Already over 40,000 tickets have been sold for a fight that has generated interest.