Lennox Lewis advises not to count Audley Harrison out
In an interview with BBC’s Radio 5, former heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis said boxing fans shouldn’t write off Audley Harrison when he meets WBA titlist David Haye in the ring this Saturday. Lewis reminded fans of Harrison’s underrated skills, and spoke
from experience when he said anything could happen.
“Audley realizes this time is now or never. He sounds very confident. Audley's definitely got the power to stun the world and upset everybody's thinking. It's another great fight for Britain," Lewis analysed.
He continued: "It will be a good fight. I think David Haye is a better boxer. He can get off his combinations quicker. But Audley is a consummate pro. He is an Olympic champion and that is 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."
Lewis, who gives Harrison a viable puncher’s chance, spoke from experience. He was knocked out by Oliver McCall in a bout he was favoured to win in 1994, and the same happened in a 2001 bout with contender Hasim Rahman.
Saturday’s bout between Haye and Harrison will take place at the MEN Arena in Manchester. It is being depicted as Harrison’s last chance to revitalize his career.
In 2000 Harrison won gold at the Sydney Games and quickly went professional to astonishingly high expectations. Following a slew of unanticipated losses, his boxing capital plummeted drastically.
Harrison was beaten by Danny Williams in 2005 and by American heavyweight hopefully Dominick Guinn in a following fight.
Perhaps the low point for Harrison was being knocked out by Michael Sprott in 2007. Last April, in a rematch with Sprott, he connected with a knock-out punch in the last round. Before the shot, he was down on all three judges’ scorecards.
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