The last time two white guys fought for the linear heavyweight title was when Don Cockwell challenged Rocky Marciano in 1955.

Nearly 50 years later, Vitali Klitschko will try to avenge his little brother's knockout loss by facing and beating the man who destroyed him, Corrie Sanders, at the Staples Centre in Los Angeles. Despite the soap opera circumstances surrounding the fight, it hasn't exactly been hyped to the same level as, say, Lewis-Tyson. The fact that Klitschko is a European with crude skills and Sanders is a South African who has only fought twice in four years doesn't help either. But Klitschko has a 97% knockout rate and Sanders is a southpaw with a sneaky right hook who could bring shame to the Klitschko name with a single punch, so there is a sense of suspense, if not a mainstream one, accomodating this fight.

After showing that he could trade with Lennox Lewis last June, it's doubtful that Sanders could drop Klitschko with a single punch. But lets face it- who wants the appendage "heavyweight champion of the world" attached to Corrie Sander's name?

With the retirement of Lennox Lewis, the vacant heavyweight championship means that everyone over 200 pounds will come out of the woodworks and try to pass as a legitimate contender. It's one of the less interesting aspects of boxing; nobodies fighting for a vacated title. But Klitshcko has proved steadily and consistently that he is worthy of a title shot. The same can't be said for Sanders, but who could pass up the marketing angle of "Big Brother seeks revenge against the man who beat Little Brother"? And lets face it, there weren't a lot of options here.

With rumours of a Tyson-Holyfield III floating around, the only heavyweight fights out there that will generate an immediate mainstream interest are those which cater to nostalgia. For now, we will have to be patient and see what becomes of the Dominick Guinns, Vitali Klitschkos, Monte Barretts, and Audley Harrisons of the boxing world.

So what will happen Saturday night in L.A.? One thing's for sure- the crowd will be HEAVILY in favour of the Ukrainian, who won them over last June with his courageous effort against an aging Lewis (and despite what the scorecards said, would have been ko'd by Lewis in the next couple of rounds). Klitschko will come out looking for a quick knockout, while Sanders will use his speed to try and accomplish the same. The fight will be highly entertaining, with both fighters landing flush to one another's face. Whoever can last the distance will have a better chance of winning the fight, and neither fighter has shown signs of remarkable endurance in the later rounds. Still, look for the hungrier Klitschko to find a way, fueled by his desire to erase his loss to Chris Byrd in which he was labelled a "quitter", avenge Vladamir's loss, and save the Klitschko name.

Prediction: Klitshcko by close decision.