By Cliff Rold

This coming Saturday night marks the debut of a new boxing series on U.S. airwaves.  The NBC Sports cable outlet can be assumed to aspire to compete one day with ESPN. For now, it’s enough that it provides a new platform for fistiana.  The first main event was originally to pit a former Heavyweight beltholder, Sergiy Liakhovich, and a former title challenger, Eddie Chambers. 

Liakhovich won the last truly great Heavyweight fight, a 2006 decision over American Lamon Brewster for WBO honors.  He fell short in a fantastic fight with rising contender Robert Helenius last year.

Chambers is probably America’s best current big man.  His challenge of Wladimir Klitschko in 2010 ended with a knockout loss in the final round.  He probably didn’t win any of the eleven previous frames. 

Both fighters represent a sort of middle class of the Heavyweight division and mark a geographic directional shift.  Liakhovich can be seen as a symbol of the rise of the Heavyweight division in the former Soviet bloc.  Chambers symbolizes a sort of recession in the U.S., a good fighter who would not have been among the nations best a generation ago.  

Chambers was forced to withdraw from the contest.  A suitable replacement foe for Liakhovich was not located on short notice.  The Heavyweights maintain the top of the bill. 

Most probably haven’t heard of the undefeated Philadelphia pair on tap.  29-year old Maurice Byram (13-0-1, 9 KO) and 27-year old Bryant Jennings (11-0, 5 KO) have a chance to change that and make their names.  Moving into more serious contention could be tough given recent history.    

The sparse America Heavyweight scene in 2012 isn’t a new story.  It’s a rerun of 2011.

And 10.

And 09, 08, 07…

Since Lennox Lewis emerged as the dominant Heavyweight force with a win over Evander Holyfield in 1999, U.S. faces in the division have been hit or miss.  Hasim Rahman, John Ruiz, Lamon Brewster, and Chris Byrd had moments of high triumph.

None was able to assert themselves the sports ‘baddest man’ for a sustained period of time.  Lewis did.  The Klitschko’s have followed.  The U.S. is experiencing the sort of rough patch at Heavyweight the rest of the world did for most of the 20th century.

It’s not just the visible lack of talent as compared to year’s past.  It’s also often a visible lack of fundamentals and/or professionalism.  Part of the Klitschko’s dominance of class is their mastery of both.  They know how to be who they are. 

And they outwork everyone around them. 

While the division finds its feet in the States, the best thing it can do is give paying fans violence.  More than any other division, Heavyweight derives its appeal from the hope for a conclusive end.  Multi-dimensional Featherweights can get boxing fans blood pumping.  Heavyweights can get their skeptical friends and cousins to peek in as well.

Byram and Jennings both look rough around the edges.  Jennings has a good right hand and appears more comfortable playing the moving counter-puncher.  Byram presses with deceptively quick hands in pursuit of the early end.  Neither appears, as yet, to have the total package needed not just to press a Klitschko one day (assuming one or both aren't retired in the next few years) but to pass the likes of a Tyson Fury or Denis Boytsov among rising contenders.

Rounds, times, and fan friendly outings can change that.  Promoter Main Events feels these two can deliver enough action to peak interest.  It’s a start.

And if that start is not one towards titles, it can be towards another utility.  Big man who can be matched properly and make action fights can be gateways to the rest of the sport, a chance to spotlight smaller action fighters beneath them and broaden the appeal of the sport.  Big men who fall short further the myth of a dying sport from those who want that easy plotline to follow.

In that sense, Byram-Jennings is a gamble.  Welterweights Jesus Soto-Karass and Gabriel Rosado will co-feature in a fight that looks a safer bet for warrior output.  They could have gone to the main event and satisfied regular boxing followers.

Byram-Jennings wagers that the cache of young big men with 0’s intact might satisfy Johnny channel changer.  Fans will know which slip paid off by Sunday morning.     

Cliff Rold is a member of the Ring Magazine Ratings Advisory Panel, the Yahoo Pound for Pound voting panel, and the Boxing Writers Association of America.  He can be reached at roldboxing@hotmail.com