Past holders include true legends of the ring from the very first man to wear the belt – Jack Dempsey - through Rocky Marciano, Muhammad Ali and ‘Iron’ Mike Tyson. Haye is in very good company indeed.

The ‘Hayemaker’ is far from alone, though. Carl Froch is making serious waves at super-middleweight with eye-catching displays earning him the WBC belt. His war against Jean Pascal to win the vacant title was followed by a Rocky-esque late show against Jermain Taylor that saw him stop his opponent with just 14 seconds remaining in a bout the Nottingham man was certainly losing.

The Cobra’s last outing saw a scrappy split-decision against Andre Dirrell, though the American’s dubious spoiling tactics were responsible for the uninspiring fare rather than any marked deficiencies from the champion.

That bout was part of the Super Six World Boxing Classic – a series of fights between the top six fighters in the 168lb division that will determine the best in the world. Thus Froch has got off to a good start.

Perhaps his success will lead to a British TV contract, something he has been left frustrated by having been overlooked by the major broadcasters for each of his last two fights.

In contrast, one fighter who has been permanently in the spotlight since before he even turned professional is Amir Khan. The Bolton man shot to stardom during the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens when he made the lightweight final as a 17-year-old and was only beaten by the veteran Cuban, Mario Kindelan.

After Khan joined the professional ranks it was often felt by the boxing public that he was not fighting anyone that could cause him any real problems and many observers felt - rightly or wrongly - that he was getting an easy ride.

Khan’s reputation has taken a battering in the process which was further damaged when he was taken apart inside 54 seconds by Breidis Prescott in September last year.

None of this is of the fighter’s own making, though. He talks with confidence but not with overwhelming arrogance - and even less so since that seismic defeat.

Reality clearly hit home and since Amir joined the Wild Card gym in California under the tutelage of the great Freddie Roach, he has been much more focused on his boxing rather than the glamorous sideshows that surround the fight game.

Sparring with seven-division champion and pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao cannot hurt either, figuratively speaking of course. The inspiration and knowledge that a young fighter must gain from that experience is priceless and can only serve him well.

Khan recovered from his Prescott nightmare to win the WBA light-welterweight title against Andreas Kotelnik and is now looking forward to his first defence against Dmitriy Salita on December 5.

His Ukrainian-born, American-raised opponent boasts an unblemished record but the lack of quality in his previous opposition leaves the Briton heavily fancied to retain his title.

Further down the line, there are other serious prospects capable of winning a world title in the future. Sheffield’s Kell Brook, unbeaten in 20 professional fights, could be the real deal and he will be looking to keep climbing the ladder.

The drawback he has, though, is that he is fighting at welterweight, currently the toughest division in the sport with the likes of Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather ruling the roost.

Olympic champion James Degale has got rid of his early professional nerves with some commanding performances and will be showcasing his significant skill set on the undercard of the Khan-Salita bout. His career is still in the nascent stage but so far so good.

And then there is the possible comeback for The Hitman. A return to the ring does not appear advisable for a man with as much wealth as Ricky Hatton. His only losses have been against two of the best fighters in history and in that there is no disgrace. He does not need the money and his punch resistance looks to have waned beyond repair.

One last glorious night in Manchester would be hard for both him and the boxing public to resist - and it would be tough to deny him the opportunity to go out with a win. But boxing is a drug and, win or lose, Hatton will be tempted to fight on.

Looking on the positive side, though, perhaps he could add one last world title to his name and in the process add to the growing list of British world champions.