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All-British showdowns

David Haye and Audley Harrison will be absorbing viewing

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Boxing's worst-kept secret has finally been confirmed; David Haye and Audley Harrison will share the same boxing ring in what promises to be one of the sporting events of 2010.

Haye claims he will 'embarrass' his foe, while Harrison is promising that karma will catch up with the current world heavyweight champion. Whatever happens, it will be the biggest all-British boxing encounter since Lennox Lewis shared the ring with Frank Bruno, sparking memories of the great British sporting rivalries that have taken place through the years...

Lennox Lewis v Frank Bruno - 1993
The first ever world heavyweight title bout between two British-born boxers, all the build-up centred on Lewis' upbringing, which saw him raised to become an Olympic champion for Canada. Bruno taunted the champion, claiming Lewis was 'not British' and that 'nobody cares about Lennox Lewis in Britain'. The truth was that the public had grown an affinity towards Bruno, who had become a lovable television character who had seen his boxing dreams shattered in two previous title cracks. Lewis, by contrast, was a professional, who utilised his reach and jab like few others in the sport, often at the expense of creating excitement inside the ropes. When fight night arrived, it was Bruno who made the marginally better start through six rounds, rocking Lewis early and preventing him from throwing his right hand. However, at the start of the seventh Lewis wobbled Bruno with a big left hook before swarming all over him to force the stoppage just over a minute into round seven.

Manchester United v Chelsea - 2008
For the very first time in the history of the European Cup, two English sides went toe-to-toe for the greatest prize in club football. The prospect of an all-British encounter had grown increasingly likely throughout the noughties, with Liverpool winning the trophy in 2005, Arsenal and Liverpool reaching the final in 2006 and 2007 respectively, while Chelsea and Manchester United regularly attended the penultimate stage of the competition. Now, at Moscow's Luzhniki Stadium, United and Chelsea had the nation gripped to their television sets, right until the game's final kick. United dominated the first half and led through a Cristiano Ronaldo header, but a moment of fortune allowed the Blues back into the contest thanks to Frank Lampard. Penalties would be necessary to separate the sides. Ronaldo had been superb all season, winning the FIFA World Player of the Year award, yet it appeared he was set to play the villain when his missed spot-kick offered Chelsea match point. Skipper John Terry stepped up to grasp his piece of destiny, but as he sent Edwin van der Sar the wrong way his foot slipped from underneath him, directing the ball against a post. Chelsea's first European Cup triumph had slipped away, and Nicolas Anelka's miss confirmed United as European champions for the third time.

Kauto Star v Denman - 2008-2010
All roads lead to Cheltenham for National Hunt aficionados and fans of jump racing have been gripped by the rivalry of stablemates Kauto Star and Denman. Both have been masterfully handled by trainer Paul Nicholls and each has won the Blue Riband of steeplechasing: the Gold Cup. Kauto Star got his name on the famous trophy when streaking to victory in 2007, the same year Denman steamrolled his way to victory in the RSA Chase - the novice equivalent of the Gold Cup. The two wins set the pair on collision course for the 2008 Gold Cup and in the run up to the race, the two camps were treated like political rivals at a general election. Rosettes, stickers and banners were handed out and you were either in the Denman camp or the Kauto Star camp, no fence-sitting allowed. In the race itself, Denman was at the peak of his powers and an awesome piece of galloping and jumping proved too much for Kauto Star who was a well beaten second. The lung-bursting effort took its toll on Denman who returned the following season with a heart complaint and was no match for Kauto Star in the 2009 Gold Cup. The durability of steeplechasers is quite amazing as they returned in top form in 2010 to set pulses racing about a third battle at Prestbury Park, but it proved a damp squib for their legion of fans as Kauto Star fell and Denman could finish only second behind young pretender Imperial Commander. But the two warriors are not done so don't write off a fourth battle next March.

Lawrence Dallaglio was a Wasps legend © Getty Images

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London Wasps v Leicester Tigers - 2007
In the 12th year of the rugby union Heineken Cup's existence, England finally had a guaranteed winner in the final as Wasps met the seemingly all-conquering Leicester. The Tigers had already won the domestic double, and they had to be considered favourites to make that a treble, fittingly at Twickenham. However, Wasps had developed a reputation for peaking at just the right time over the years, winning the trophy back in 2004, and after knocking out Northampton Saints in the semi-finals, another giant moment in the club's history beckoned. Boasting leaders of the calibre of Lawrence Dallaglio, playing in his last game, Wasps had too much for the Tigers on the day, scoring the game's only tries through Eoin Reddan and Raphael Ibanez in a 25-9 victory.

Sebastian Coe v Steve Ovett - 1980
Like two brothers who simply had to have what the other possessed, Sebastian Coe and Steve Ovett matched each other's achievements almost stride for stride. In a dominant spell of middle-distance running for British athletics in the late 1970s and early 80s, the pair traded records almost as frequently as Haye and Harrison have been swapping insults. A 10-day period in 1981 summed up their rivalry when the same record (for the mile) went three times, but it was the 1980 Olympics where they truly shared centre stage. First came the 800m, where Ovett got one over on his rival, but then Coe denied him a double by returning to claim 1500m gold. In the end, Coe ended up with two Olympic gold medals to Ovett's one, but the duo will forever be remembered in tandem for their on-track rivalries.

Ross Pearson v Andre Winner - 2009
Very rarely do two British sportsmen go head-to-head knowing that their entire livelihoods - not just their careers - are on the line. That was the case when Sunderland-born Ross Pearson met Nottingham-born Andre Winner in the final of The Ultimate Fighter 9 competition, which saw the victor claim a $100,000 cheque. Pearson and Winner had shared the same house during a mixed martial arts reality series, which saw knockout rounds whittle eight lightweights down to two for a Las Vegas finale. Both men had trained together in the past, so Pearson returned to his northern roots in preparation for the bout, which turned into a three-round war as both men battled for a life-changing victory. In the end it was Pearson's greater wrestling ability that made the difference, and now both men have returned to the same training camp to build futures in the UFC.

Sir Chris Hoy hunted down Jason Kenny © Getty Images

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Sir Chris Hoy v Jason Kenny - 2008
Sir Chris Hoy became one of the faces of the British Olympic team as he claimed three gold medals at the Beijing Games, becoming the first British Olympian in 100 years to achieve such a feat at one Games. Hoy's haul began in the men's team sprint, which featured young junior champion Jason Kenny. The second gold arrived when Hoy defeated Ross Edgar, the man he had trained alongside and competed with throughout the build-up to the games, in the men's keirin. Now a third triumph beckoned in the men's individual sprint, where event favourite Hoy was forced to square off against good friend Kenny. Using his experience and explosive power, Hoy dominated Kenny in the final, leaving the 20-year-old youngster to settle for a gold and silver at his first Olympic Games.

William Renshaw v Ernest Renshaw - 1880s
The Renshaw brothers are often credited with the transformation of tennis into a spectator sport after they lit up Wimbledon in the 1880s. By introducing big serves and a willingness to volley, the pair won the British doubles championship on seven occasions. However, in a similar manner to Venus and Serena Williams in the modern game, the success of the Renshaw twins often meant that they ended up facing each other. Seven times William won the Wimbledon singles title, and on three occasions it was at the expense of his sibling, who lifted the trophy on a single occasion in 1888.

Jenson Button v Lewis Hamilton - 2010
By winning the Formula One driver's championship in 2008, Lewis Hamilton fulfilled a life's dream as he became the youngest ever F1 champion. Having approached McLaren team principal as a ten-year-old in 1995, Hamilton eventually battled his way onto the team's Young Driver Support Programme, where he proved himself to be one of the most naturally gifted drivers of his generation. By contrast, Jenson Button drove for five different teams before eventually arriving at Brawn GP, where he got his hands on the world title in 2009. Aided by a supremely fast-paced Mercedes engine, Button won six of the season's first seven races, blowing the rest of his competitors away. Now Hamilton and Button find themselves on the same McLaren team for the 2010/11 season, where Hamilton currently leads his compatriot by 35 points going into the final six grands prix of the season.

Tessa Sanderson v Fatima Whitbread - 1984
In similar fashion to Kelly Holmes' 800m triumph in 2004, Tessa Sanderson's Olympic victory in 1984 arrived when it was generally considered that her best years had gone. A three-time Commonwealth gold medallist by the time she retired, Sanderson's best hope of Olympic javelin gold appeared to have deserted her in 1980 when she inexplicably failed to qualify for the final. Now embroiled with the up-and-coming star of the 80s, Fatima Whitbread, Sanderson entered the 1984 Games without the pressure of the 'favourite' tag. Whitbread had finished ahead of her at the World Championships, and if any British athlete was going to take javelin gold, it wasn't going to be Sanderson. However, after an opening throw of 69.56m from Sanderson, breaking the Olympic record, Whitbread could find no answer, settling for bronze. Whitbread would eventually retire without an Olympic gold medal.

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