Audley Harrison: one last roll of the dice

[Overhand_Right]

Audley Harrison, 38, the 2000 Olympic gold medallist rematches Michael Sprott in North London tonight for the vacant European heavyweight title - if Harrison avenges his Feb 2007 loss to Sprott & wins the euro title there's a very real possibility he'll end up in the ring with a Klitschko or David Haye in 2010!

For those who care, Harrison put together 19 wins on both sides of the pond before leading to a grudge match in 2005 with Danny Williams. He was too negative and lost a close split decision in a mostly dull fight. He went to America in 2006 and was negative again in being outpointed by Dominic Guinn. However he returned to these shores and fought Williams aggressively in a rematch, whacking the Brixton Bomber in three rounds and looking impressive doing so.

He was back on track until Feb 07 when Sprott came off the floor in the 1st to kayo Audley with a wild shot in the 3rd. Since then Audley dropped a questionable decision to Irishman Martin Rogan in a rousing brawl but scored three wins in one night to come out on top of the Prizefighter tournament. His record is 26-4 (19).

Sprott is the former British and Commonwealth heavyweight champ, and was jobbed of a decision for the European title a few years ago in Germany. He's beaten Timo Hoffman (immediately after his Klitschko fight), Audley Harrison and Danny Williams. After he lost his belt to Matt Skelton in 2004 he's spent most of his time boxing prospects in Germany, being on the wrong end of far too many hometown decisions. He's recently spent 4 weeks training with both Klitschko brothers and is a misleading 32-14 (17).

This is a Last Chance Saloon for both fellas and with the Ghost of Kayos Past (as the awesome Jack Obemeyer once said) looming over both men this could be explosive... It could also be dreadful.

Either way I'll be watching, hopefully A-Force can redeem himself tonight & win the European belt, then go out shooting versus a Klitschko. I'll put down the vodka now.

[jim glen]

excellent post OHR,

but I just can't get excited about Audley, I beleive he is substandard and IF he comes back to do well it'll only serve to prove how poor boxing is (generally speaking), and the pundits will run away with it, with the like's of this..."Audley's the real deal afterall, never a greater comback since Jim Braddock, or Ali's 3 missing years or Foreman's second & third coming.."

You know that kind of shit!

Come to think of it, maybe thats what we need to Shut these "sell out" reports, writers and commentators up! - Cmon Audley

[Overhand_Right]

I know what you mean Jim but Audleys problems seem to be in the mind - when he let's his hands go he does look the business. I also though he showed some stones v Rogan who was a hardnut & packed a wallop.

He's an interesting Pantomime Villain and honestly, I'd quite enjoy a last unlikely run of form to cap his career. The planets seemed to have alligned for him with the Sprott/Sosnowski/Euro belt situiation, two ageing Klitschkos and a dearth of interesting challengers.

Hiccup.

[walshb]

First things first, Kudos to AH for having the balls to get back in against a man
who destroyed him with a very heavy shot. You gotta' admire AH for this.

The man is an Olympic champ, and you don't get to be that unless you
have real talent.

AHs problem is that he is just so inconsistent and lazy in the ring. When he opens up
and gets busy he can look real good.

[diggity]

I think he's on his 5th last roll of the dice. All the guy ever did was physically look the part, not much else. He was too old when he started out & now its just way too late. There isn't a guy in the pitiful top 10 of the heavies who wouldn't eat him as a snack.

[Overhand_Right]

HOLY FUCKING SHITBALLS.

Never again say Audley Harrison has no heart.

Detached his right shoulder in the 3rd, had to box ORTHODOX with only his left hand against a super confident Sprott who was trying to decap him every rd, Audley pushed on, was shaken in the 12th, behind on points, and came back to turn the tables and knock Sprott UNCONSCIOUS to win the European belt in the final round.

Sprott in his 14 years of boxing has never been laid out.

We have a 'punch of the year' candidate.

Awesome comeback for Audley, and Johnny Nelson, Jim Watt and Nicky Piper all had to admit he finally showed his desire and heart.

[mrbig1]

Big Win for Audley. Maybe he can turn it around. When he first turn pro I thought for sure he would be the HW champ of the world. It didn't take long to show he was no more than another over hyped Brit. I was one of those who question his heart and chin. When Sprott KOed him it wasn't even a killer punch. This is a big win for him. I would love to see a Haye vs Harrison fight. These are two men with something to prove. Once again big win for Audley.

[mrbig1]

Just saw the KO punch. He almost took Sprotts head off.

[diggity]

Well a BIG GIANT congrats to Mr Audley on his big, career defining moment - KOing an old, rugged journeyman like Sprott. Bravo.

Haye is no heavyweight savior & he would run right through both guys, likely in the same night if given the chance IMO.

CMON guys....What in the WORLD has Audley ever done to suggest he is had a shot at anything besides maybe win a medal over kids half his age?

[Overhand_Right]

That punch does damage if it lands on anybody.

[Antonia Margarita]

i can ko my gramma but that doesnt make me a puncher

[hagler04]

Well he put away a domestic HW who was never more than a solid gatekeeper. One KO win won't erase him losing to Dominik Guinn.

[diggity]

Wow are we really talking about the ever irrelevant Audley?

[KOJOE90]

Good win for Harrison and yes he did show some heart by pulling a KO win from an almost certain points lose.

But Harrison should never have lost to Sprott in the first place and was losing this fight as well, but he won and hats off to him.

Harrison was shaken a few times during the fight and if that had been the faster, harder punching Haye landing then it would have been goodnight Audley.

[Wladimir Klitschko Sucks]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oW-F-D_dGYs

[Overhand_Right]

Good win for Harrison and yes he did show some heart by pulling a KO win from an almost certain points lose.

But Harrison should never have lost to Sprott in the first place and was losing this fight as well, but he won and hats off to him.

Harrison was shaken a few times during the fight and if that had been the faster, harder punching Haye landing then it would have been goodnight Audley.

Joe he was boxing with a serious injury - of course he was trailing on points.

[Overhand_Right]

Plus, if Harrison whacks Haye its good night - any man down against Lolenga Mock, Monte Barrett, Mormeck et al is going to sleep exactly like Sprott if that roundhouse hook connects.

Haye would have to respect Audley, even if no one outside the ring does!

[KOJOE90]

Plus, if Harrison whacks Haye its good night - any man down against Lolenga Mock, Monte Barrett, Mormeck et al is going to sleep exactly like Sprott if that roundhouse hook connects.

Haye would have to respect Audley, even if no one outside the ring does!

Overhand, I know Audley was carrying an injury but the fact was he was heading for another defeat, that was my point. Also just because an injured fighter beats another fighter it doesn't mean if that fighter was not injured he would have beated the same fighter any easier, as you know Boxing is not that logical, if so why didn't he win the first fight?

With regards to Harrison landing a simular punch on Haye? 'IF' that did happen I am not 100% sure it would have the same effect, Haye is not as shopworn as Sprott is these days, but it would have an effect I agree, Haye does need to respect Harrisons power, but Haye needs to respect ANY Heavyweights power.

[hagler04]

KOJOE, come on, I'll give Audley a pass for being behind in this fight. He was a completly one-armed fighter for 6 rounds.

I like the prospect of Haye-Harrison. Both big punchers with glass jaws. I know Harrison keeps losing to gatekeeper level fighters but I swear when he actually puts punches together he looks to have the best offensive arsenal today in this putrid HW division. Would he likely beat Haye . . probably not. But the fact that he has the tools, if used correctly, to DESTROY Haye to me makes it an intereting matchup.

[walshb]

Haye, glass jawed? Based on the Thompson loss? The knock down vs. Mormenck?

Haye is a bigger man now and so far at heavy he has survived well.

I think it's a stamina issue with Haye more than a chin or jaw issue.

He may well get ko'd in future heavy fights, but I am not ready to label
him glass jawed UNTIL this happens.....

[KOJOE90]

KOJOE, come on, I'll give Audley a pass for being behind in this fight. He was a completly one-armed fighter for 6 rounds.

.

Sorry, but does the above quote mean you agree with me or not, as it can be read either way?

[hagler04]

Sorry, but does the above quote mean you agree with me or not, as it can be read either way?

I'm disagreeing.

Sorry, I understand how my sarcastic nature could've been lead to that conclusion.

I don't see Harrison as a world beater but to fight with a torn ligament is a very tough assignment. The fact that he knocked him out in the last round with his good arm behind on points to me is a fairly remarkable achievment, standing on its own.

[Overhand_Right]

I agree Hagler, but the cloud of cynicism that hangs over Audley now means people can no longer objectively judge anything he does. Sprott was fired up & he was a very reliable chin but that left cross was simply lethal!

Haye has been down & wobbled enough times for us to know that that kind of power would do serious damage on him, however Haye would obviously be a clear favourite.

[KOJOE90]

I'm disagreeing.

Sorry, I understand how my sarcastic nature could've been lead to that conclusion.

I don't see Harrison as a world beater but to fight with a torn ligament is a very tough assignment. The fact that he knocked him out in the last round with his good arm behind on points to me is a fairly remarkable achievment, standing on its own.

Fair enough, but I did applaud Harrison for his win in post No.14.

[KOJOE90]

I agree Hagler, but the cloud of cynicism that hangs over Audley now means people can no longer objectively judge anything he does. Sprott was fired up & he was a very reliable chin but that left cross was simply lethal!

Haye has been down & wobbled enough times for us to know that that kind of power would do serious damage on him, however Haye would obviously be a clear favourite.

I am as capable of objectively judging Harrison as anyone else here, but sometime people have different opinions that's all. It is possible to be objective and not agree with you. Read my posts I have no long history of hating Harrison on this or anyother forum, in fact when he stopped Williams a few years ago I was the first one on this forum to applaud him, and got a right load of grief for doing so.

All that I am saying is that one guty performance and one impressive KO over a granted tough and determined, but domestic level fighter who I imagine is very near the end of his career does not all of a sudden make Harrison a World Title prospect.

Even the Klits are a whole different ball game to the Sprotts of this world and as for Haye he is much faster, harder hitting and a far better fighter than the 2010 version of Sprott.

Harrison has always had the physical tools to mix at a high level but for various reasons has 99% of the time failed to impress when it really matters.


EDIT due to typo.

[Overhand_Right]

I didn't mean you Joe, I was talking about the general reception I've read from some fans on various sites, although I didn't make that clear.

I would add though that Sprott with his wins over the likes of Danny Williams (who KO'd Tyson only months later), Timo Hoffman twice (right after Klitschko), Cengiz Koc, Rene Dettweiller, and robberies against Paulo Vidoz for the European title, Vladimir Virchis, Taras Bidenko deserves better than being labelled a 'domestic level fighter', he has had success against world ranked fighters.