Audley Harrison goads David Haye
Things went from bad to worse for David Haye yesterday when he was goaded by Audley Harrison who told the WBA heavyweight champion to “man up”.
“The Hayemaker” has been largely derided by press and fans alike for not taking either one of the Klitschko brothers, and now even Harrison is mocking the champ.
Since sneaking a late victory over Michael Sprott in April, “A-force” has found himself back in the public spotlight, and has relished every second of it. It has been a strange turnaround of events for the man once consigned to the boxing scrapheap and still largely viewed by most of the population of Britain as a figure of fun and potential never fulfilled.
It all changed with that 12th-round fizzer of a KO against Sprott as the Londoner clinched the European belt and suddenly he was an oasis in the vacuous desert that is the heavyweight division. With Haye looking for a money-spinning fight after the last ounce of hope seeped out of a Klitschko match, all eyes turned to Harrison for a British showdown. Quite how this is money spinning I don’t know, perhaps they are estimating a bigger turn out on the basis of the novelty value, but realistically is there a big demand to see A-force fighting for a heavyweight title?
Regardless of what the masses think, Harrison vacated his EBU strap and it looked set to be a done deal. But again there has been no word from Haye or his manager/trainer/lifestyle guru/yes man Adam Booth.
Where is Haye? Has he lost his voice? Is he on holiday? Is he going to fight again this decade? Perhaps now he is heavyweight champion he intends on defending his title for all eternity by staying in this boxing purgatory.
Harrison appears to be wondering this as well, telling Sky Sports: "I'm about as bored as every other fight fan about hearing why you won't accept fights, what are we in this game for?"
"I say to try and win titles and create a legacy but if its money you want then outside of the Klitschko fights I'm the only guy that makes you money. I am accepting the terms you have offered me and now we will see what you are made of.”
It’s no surprise big A-force is keen. He probably thought it was over in 2008 with a hugely embarrassing loss to Martin Rogan. It’s been a tempestuous career that 10 years ago saw him return from the Sydney Olympics with a gold medal and a £1million contract with the BBC. Since that deal the BBC has not shown a boxing match again, that’s how well that went.
Harrison and Haye are former friends, with Haye fighting on Harrison’s undercard early in his career. However when A-force fell out of the public favour the gesture was never reciprocated and now there is bad blood between the pair.
Harrison went on to say, "So let's stop with the bull******ng, man up and get this fight signed. So bring on the Battle of Britain and I will be the Hayebreaker come November 13th."
Harrison needs to turn matchmaker before he can be Hayebreaker, if he can find his man first.
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