Boxing Update: Harrison Talented Enough to Beat Haye – Lewis Hopes
Lennox Lewis has expressed his confidence over Audley Harrison and has raised the hopes that the guy can beat David Haye in the British World Heavyweight Fight. Lewis, the former heavyweight world champion gave Harrison a puncher’s chance against the current
WBA title holder. While giving an interview for an international radio broadcasting company, the marvellous boxer said that Audley had realized the fact that it was “now or never”.
Claiming quite confidently, he said that Audley had got the talent to stun world and upset the thinking of the people who were considering Hoy favourite for the fight. According to him, that would be another great fight for the Britain boxing spectators.
For the battle that is going to take place at Manchester’s Men Arena, all tickets of 22,000 capacity hall have been sold out and the promoters of the fight have started believing that the event would break British pay-per-view records for a boxing match.
In order to claim their luck out of the fight, the bookmakers have David Haye, the 30-years old heavyweight favourite against the former Olympic Champion. However, Lewis believes that the battle would be closer than many people think.
The greatest Britain boxer was of the view that though overall Haye was a better boxer and had the ability to get off his combinations quicker, however, Audley was a consummate pro. He had been an Olympic champion and that was a great pedigree.
“There have been a couple of stumbling blocks but he is still here. That shows me the desire to be accomplished and successful. I think it will be a close fight” said Lewis.
The boxing spectators in Britain and abroad are considering the fight as a last chance for Harrison to resurrect a career which has up until now failed to come up to the expectations. The 39-years old boxer had claimed a gold medal back at Sydney games in
2000 and succeeded in joining the paid ranks the following year. However, amid inconsistent performance, his credibility soon began to drain away.
Despite of having fought a number of journeymen opponents, the guy had been consistently failed to impress the critics along the way. He got a fierce beating from Danny Williams in 2005 and was also beaten by Dominick Guinn from America in his following
fights.
Harrison had been knocked out by Michael Sprott in 2007, while Martin Rogan had also outpointed him in 2008. For him, it was a victory in the prizefighter heavyweight tournament held last year which have kept his creaking career alive and on the tracks.
Last year, in a rematch against Sprott for the European title, held in April, Harrison was well behind on all three judges’ score cards when he somehow managed to pull out a knockout punch during the final round.
On the other hand, Haye possesses a marvellous career. He has been the former undisputed cruiserweight champion; he also made it to win the WBA heavyweight crown in just his third fight in the division.
Lewis, who himself had been on the receiving end of two huge upsets against Oliver McCall and Hasim Rahman, in his career, totally refused to write off the chances for Harrison for winning the coming great fight.
While airing his views, he said that Audley would need to prove to his spectators that he had got the required stamina. Lewis, who had been involved in the two marvellous all British heavyweight world title fights, in 1993 against Frank Bruno and In 1997
against Henry Akinwande, advised Harrison to throw a lot of punches and to use his left jab and take his size advantage in the fight. He was of the view that only by doing so he could get through with one of those terrific left hands.
“Boxing is rather uncertain. You never know what may happen if Audley is able to contend and with David Haye’s speed and neutralize it” concluded Lewis.
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