Klitschko's Become the Guardians of Boxing

So, you still think the Klitschko brothers are boring? You still want to see them fall? After the best part of ten years dominating the world heavyweight boxing scene is it time for the Ukrainian sibling combo to make way? Not now. Not after what happened in Munich. Not after the sport of boxing was dragged through the mud by two, second division British heavyweights. 

I have had the pleasure of spending a considerable amount of time with both brothers over the years. Both are lucid, intelligent, charming and courteous, with a good sense of humour and an understanding and respect for the job that someone like me does. There may be some dark secret untold about them but, to my knowledge, they are magnificent ambassadors for the sport. 

Their only problem - which is what Roy Jones Jnr used to complain to me about when in his pomp in the late 1990's - is that there is nobody out there to challenge them, which is why the younger Klitschko, Wladimir, is taking on the former French cruiserweight, Mormeck, next month. This is why Dereck Chisora had his chance on Saturday night in Munich against older brother Vitali who, in looking a little ponderous and tired, may finally be growing old. 

In the ring the Londoner fought well, but outside the ring - both before the fight when he slapped Klitschko at the weight-in and then spat water into Wladimir's face in the ring moments before the start of the fight, and after, when he became embroiled in a post-fight press conference with David Haye threatening to shoot and burn him, he has disgarced himself and his sport. 

Haye has done likewise. His arrogance in believing he is still the main contender on anyone's lips after his no-show, poor-toe effort against Wladimir last summer, is breathtaking, and his showman tactics have now become tiresome. What was he even doing at the post-fight press conference? Does it really matter who swung the first punch in his contretemps with Chisora? 

The end result was an unedifying shambles which did themselves, boxing and British sport no credit whatsoever.

A few hours' later Sir Chris Hoy was winning majestically and with good grace at the London velodrome. A few hours' earlier Jessica Ennis was in scintillating form at the Birmingham athletics. Sandwiched in between was this. 

So, while Vitali Klitschko prepares his political campaign for the role of Mayor of Kiev Messrs Chisora and Haye can look forward to long bans from boxing. They only have themselves to blame.