By Gareth A Davies, Telegraph.co.uk
Last week the nation watched as David Haye, drunk with a growing self-belief and bringing a touch of brilliance in his belligerence, continued on the glittering path seeking to be lord of the heavyweight ring in despatching American John Ruiz over nine brutal rounds.
It was a homecoming world title fight – the WBA portion of the belt – and the contest raised the rafters at the MEN Arena. It also raised several questions, and answered them over 26 brutalizing minutes of ring action. Haye is on the way up, and almost ready for two mega-fights with the Klitschko brothers.
So, to Audley Harrison… Challenge the Klitschkos ? Fight David Haye ? Last night in Alexandra Palace, north London, we (almost) saw the last of the big guy from Brent. Remember Audley Harrison, they might have said the guy who won Olympic gold in 2000 but went nowhere for ten years until it was all over…? It was that close at the old home of British Broadcasting up on Ally Pally, as it is known locally.
Harrison was almost two minutes from the walls closing in on him, his career all but over. Coming into the twelfth round Harrison was losing the fight for the vacant European title against Michael Sprott, on points. It was a half-decent fight, in which Sprott made most of the running. Harrison even showed some heart.
Yet, somehow, Harrison rescued this contest with a thunderous left ‘equalizer’ with 100 seconds left in his career, leaving the British and Commonwealth champion supine. Out cold was Sprott. Sprotted.
A-Farce, Audrey, call him what you like – and they have- but Harrison was finished before a huge left hand saved his career, kept it afloat.
I have to confess, it hasn’t really changed anything. Nor will it have changed most observers views of Harrison. He showed some heart, he turned this into the late, late show. But he has flagrantly disappointed for a decade. And now he’s 38.
He hasn’t really got it at the highest level. He’ll huff and he’ll puff and he may yet get a crack at the Klitschkos, or even Haye…never say never in boxing, but he’s not of that level. Physically, he is. As a promoter he is; as a talker, he is…but then the bell has to go.
Personally, I’d like to see Haye-Harrison. It would sell out…
I reported on every one of Harrison’s first ten professional fights (groans) on the BBC, from 2001 onwards (and I even saw his US debut, his eighth fight, in Atlantic City against Shawn Robinson who was a foot smaller and 53lbs lighter than Harrison) and it was clear from the off that the OLympic champion-turned-pro felt that knocking out a random doorman from Krakow should be followed by a long monologue to the media immediately afterwards.
It was a bad habit. There was the nagging feeling from the off that he was a quite brilliant talker, wonderful at representing himself…yet lacked something at the highest level. This is still a secret only Harrison himself is unaware of. Which is why he is mocked so pitilessly.
He showed a bit of spirit in this contest, and ten years on from Olympic glory, he still has the gift of the gab, huge athleticism, technique, he is a southpaw, but is derided by all in boxing, and even those not desperately familiar with it.
I was involved in analysing Harrison’s career with Andy Jacobs and Andy Goldstein on TalkSport this week, and they were mystified that he can claim that he could face the Klitschko brothers or Haye in a ring, for a world title, somewhere soon. It does seem improbable. However, the reality is that such a contest is only two fights away.
At Alexandra Palace, they booed him (of course). Three years ago, Sprott knocked Harrison flat out in the third. Here Harrison took his revenge.
“My right shoulder went in the second round, and I showed determination and heart in there. It showed how much I wanted to keep my career,” explained Harrison. He had fought one-handed for seven rounds. “I proved that I want to remain in boxing. I didn’t quit, and I’m still here….”
* * * * *
There is even worse tomorrow night in the United States, when 47-year-old Evander Holyfield meets Frans Botha, now 41, in a Las Vegas ring. Holyfield, unfortunately, is still fighting because he says he wishes to be world heavyweight champion again, but in reality his 200 million + dollars have all gone and he needs, I understand, around $1 million a year for alimony and to run his estate. I watched him in Zurich last year live, labouring through 12 rounds against Nikolai Valuev, losing the WBA title fight
* * * * *
Back in north London…
The truth is out there. Ten years ago, as they prepared for the Olympics, Haye, aged 19, was a skinny beanpole next to Audley Harrison, then 28.
Haye failed to make the Olympics; Harrison claimed gold in Sydney and won the golden pot, and negotiated a £1million deal with the BBC, for which the corporation were pilloried.
Ten years on, they are both heavyweights, and are not even in the same league. Haye is the fighter, and Harrison…well…let’s just say he could yet be a contender…for now, let’s leave it at that.
Source: blogs.telegraph.co.uk
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