They say a good big’un will always beat a good littl’un, hence the small number of boxers who moved up the divisions to become heavyweight champion of the world. But those that prove successful are remembered . . . Bob Fitzsimmons, Michael Spinks, Michael Moorer, Roy Jones Jr and Evander Holyfield. That is the list that David Haye is hoping to join.

Haye is well aware of his potential place in history. Tomorrow he challenges Nikolay Valuev for the WBA title at an arena built on the site of the famed Nazi party rally grounds. The Londoner — the former WBC, WBA and WBO cruiserweight champion — has had plenty of doubters and even the man in whose footsteps he hopes to follow worries that he is not ready to take on a huge heavyweight such as Valuev.

Evander Holyfield is the only boxer to have won world titles at cruiserweight and heavyweight. He is also the most recent opponent of Valuev, having lost on points to him in Zurich last December, a verdict many watching on television, but few sitting ringside, saw as controversial.

But when Holyfield, 47, made the move up, he had six bouts lasting 36 rounds at heavyweight before taking the title from James “Buster” Douglas. Haye has had only two bouts, lasting a total of a little more than five rounds.

“I think it is too early for David Haye but I would always say he has a chance,” Holyfield said. “Just because he weighs a lot less and is shorter than Valuev, doesn’t mean he won’t pull it off.

“Look at when I fought the likes of Riddick Bowe and beat him. I spent the whole of my career in the heavyweights fighting bigger and taller boxers, but it didn’t do me any harm at all.

“It will be a very close fight but Haye should have fought in the heavyweight division more times before facing Valuev. I will be surprised if Haye wins, but nothing should surprise you in boxing.

“We don’t know what is inside his head and we won’t know until the bell goes. Then we will find out if he is really a heavyweight and if he is as good as he says he is.”

While many have put down Valuev’s talent, Holyfield, who has had a closer view of him than most, is not one of them. But Holyfield does believe that the Russian, the tallest and heaviest heavyweight champion in history, can be defeated.

“Valuev is strong, very strong, but he can be beaten because he is not quick,” Holyfield said. “People criticise Valuev too much and they look at what he can’t do. I think they should realise what he can do.

“He can take a punch, he can jab and throw hard punches himself and all those things make him a very difficult fighter to beat and that is before you even talk about his size. His record says he is a good fighter and his record does not lie.

“I don’t know who won our fight, it was close but it is over now. He is a good man and he deserves everything that comes to him.”

Haye, 29, has been abusing the Russian and while Valuev has not shown the least interest in rising to the bait, those close to him say the insults have not gone unnoticed.

“Anyone who knows Niko knows he is a soft, quiet guy, most unlike a boxer,” Wilfried Sauerland, Valuev’s promoter, said. “A friend came every day and told him the things that Haye was saying in the newspaper. This time Niko didn’t need to be told what to do in training.”

• Two title bouts take place at venues 45 minutes apart in Northern Ireland tonight, with Sky Sports screening both live. Paul McCloskey faces Daniel Rasilla for the vacant European light- welterweight title in Magherafelt, Co Londonderry, while, in Belfast, Sam Sexton defends the Commonwealth heavyweight title against Martin Rogan. Sexton took the title from Rogan in May.