On the whole was Audley right to go to America?

Chambers · Post by **Chambers** » 14 Jan 2004, 09:18

Of course he was

Audleys trip to America seems to have been a success from all angles.

Firstly and most importantly his 3 performances in the ring have been polished and precise victories where he has picked his punches well and looked very impressive, the opponents have not been of a high standard, but at the right level for 'this stage of his career'. His defence looks alot tighter than previously which I am presuming has come from the high class sparring and coaching that he has received in the states.

Secondly judging by the cover of the Ring magazine (currently on the front page of this website) where he is pictured with Americas 2 best HW prospects Joe Mesi and Dominic Guinn above a headline of 'Who will replace Lewis, Tyson and Holyfield?',he has raised his profile over there which was another objective of the trip. I also hear that he has been described by some as the future of the Heavyweight division. He has appeared at some other boxing events over there (he was at the night of the young Heavyweights at least), which also goes part way to raising his profile. With this new profile that he has got in the states, it is surely going to make it alot easier to make the necessary fights he needs to become World champion.

The only question this leaves me asking is why don't more boxers do this. Would Eastman and Calzaghe be struggling to get there big fights if they had conducted more of there careers in USA?

jamesmcdonnell · Post by **jamesmcdonnell** » 14 Jan 2004, 09:32

Audley is a very astute guy, very smart, and I think his move was the right one. I said all along (pats himself on the back), that people were fixating with his 'duty' to fight everyone on the domestic scene.

I know this is sacriledge to some people, but screw the domestsic scene, getting bogged down in it is a bad idea, you end up with fighters ruining eachothers careers in low-profile fights, and never making it on the world stage at all.

The problem is that our domestic scene, unlike the US domestic scene, just doesn't generate that much money, aside from the occasional British title fight doing well, (which the upcoming Williams v Sprott fight certainly will), how many people actually get to see minor domestic clashes. What's the point of Audley risking losing to an awkward customer like say, Michael Sprott or even Keith Long, there's just nothing to be gained.

I say he did better to go to the states, get some top quality sparring, and take on a couple of fighters with a moderate name (like nix, who the US fans had at least heard of) to build a decent profile. He's ahead of the game certainly when you compare his profile to his achievements, now he has to back it up with hard work and some real fights.

In the states upcoming prospects have most if not all of their early bouts televised. Jermain Taylor is a prime example, he got exposure from the go-get.

Goz · Post by **Goz** » 14 Jan 2004, 09:34

"It's about the world baby"

Believe it....

Chambers · Post by **Chambers** » 14 Jan 2004, 10:43

I personally would have liked to see Audley come back and clear up the domestic scene, it probably wouldn't have been the best idea in getting a smooth run to a world title, but there has been so much calling out and bad feeling between the British HW likely lads that I would have liked to have seen these mouth watering clashes that I have been drooling over the past 18 or so months, but with Danny and Sprott going to SN these contests seem unlikely to happen

.

JimStone · Post by **JimStone** » 14 Jan 2004, 12:36

If he did plenty of hard sparring it was worth it.

Hardhitters11 · Post by **Hardhitters11** » 14 Jan 2004, 12:40

He will have the advantage of being known there if he makes the big time....And as flawed genius said if had good quality sparring as well then it def was.

HH

steve689 · Post by **steve689** » 14 Jan 2004, 13:51

Okay the point i was going to make was that if the sparring was right then yes he did make the right choice, i heard he was sparring with Vaughn Bean which if true is not bad company to keep. Audley is a clever guy, i have said all along that he will....1) Step back and let the competition slug it out with each other and then jump in and pick up the pieces and 2) Win a world title but in the form of a WBF, IBC or WBU.

My first thoughts are starting to show fruition as he avoids signing with allegedly and stays with the BBC (it appears that way) and thus avoids the best British opposition i.e. Sprott, Williams, Skelton etc but as for my second thoughts well...time will tell.

bennie · Post by **bennie** » 14 Jan 2004, 14:56

Teddy Atlas, one of America's most respected trainers, has just said this of Harrison: "He hasn't fought anyone at all. You can't move forward if all you're fighting is set-up types. After a while you start to stagnate."
True, Teddy. But you should have seen the guys he was fighting over here?
There's no doubt, Audley is a better fighter for his American campaign.

stujones · Post by **stujones** » 14 Jan 2004, 15:04

Audley's trip has been a success. On another site where I post (a small US forum) I have had people really questioning my initial views of Audley (as far as his attitude is concerned). They've really bought into his post-fight interviews and as someone said, his ranking has shot up the roof. Check out the boxrec ranking of him, alot of people see him now as a world wide prospect (ala Mesi, Guinn, Levin) whereas, most of us guys who have seen him for longer are thinking he should be compared to Matt Skelton.

Go to a general forum and post, who is the better prospect Skelton or Harrison and see your response.

So for an exposure perspective its been a major success, now for a development perspective its not so clear. He's faught his best fighter whilst on the trip and his first name. However, all he needs to do is sign for a fight with Francis and he's topped Nix. I don't know anything about the behind the scenes development (sparring etc). He looks in good shape, but I can't judge if there has been any improvement untill I see him fight someone alot better than Nix.

But certainly, its been a much more productive last 6 months for Harrison than it has been for Williams and Hide.

jamesmcdonnell · Post by **jamesmcdonnell** » 14 Jan 2004, 17:58

It's funny when he first went, very few people were saying anything other than Audley was running scared.

Dave1armedTua · Post by **Dave1armedTua** » 14 Jan 2004, 18:12

Secondly judging by the cover of the Ring magazine (currently on the front page of this website) where he is pictured with Americas 2 best HW prospects Joe Mesi and Dominic Guinn above a headline of 'Who will replace Lewis, Tyson and Holyfield?'

Guinn will replace Lewis as champ

Harrison will replace Holyfield as the aging former champ

And Mesi will replace Tyson as the overhyped fraud

bigynzing · Post by **bigynzing** » 14 Jan 2004, 23:04

Steve mentioned FWarren, Which answers Chambers question about Other british fighters going to the US for a couple of years.
Did you read the Ring article?...it was a few lines about Audley then the rest was fisting Mesi and Guinn.

hitman_hatton1 · Post by **hitman_hatton1** » 15 Jan 2004, 03:50

i'm not that bothered about audley fighting his domestic rivals, at 32 time is not exactly on his side he needs to start making some inroads in the states, forget britain if it don't work out in america then comeback and take on the britpack.

lennox lewis went thru british, commonwealth and european titles but it was different for him he had time on his side and he wanted to prove that coming back here was genuine :) which he proved by winning the british title outright and taking care of the rest.

hitman_hatton1 · Post by **hitman_hatton1** » 15 Jan 2004, 03:53

Dave1armedTua wrote:
Secondly judging by the cover of the Ring magazine (currently on the front page of this website) where he is pictured with Americas 2 best HW prospects Joe Mesi and Dominic Guinn above a headline of 'Who will replace Lewis, Tyson and Holyfield?'
Guinn will replace Lewis as champ

Harrison will replace Holyfield as the aging former champ

And Mesi will replace Tyson as the overhyped fraud

guinn to be the champ when lewis is gone ha ha ha don't make me laugh

and as for tyson being an overhyped fraud i think u need to go back in time and check out his early career cos believe me that guy was genuine alright, 85-91 what a fighter

Dave1armedTua · Post by **Dave1armedTua** » 15 Jan 2004, 04:31

More like, 85-86, what a fighter. 1 to 2 year careers aren't exactly impressive.

hitman_hatton1 · Post by **hitman_hatton1** » 15 Jan 2004, 04:49

Dave1armedTua wrote:More like, 85-86, what a fighter. 1 to 2 year careers aren't exactly impressive.

1 bad night against douglas the rest of it was pretty damn special

he wiped out a generation of heavyweights and made more successful defences in a row since larry holmes.

Chambers · Post by **Chambers** » 15 Jan 2004, 05:04

steve689 wrote:Okay the point i was going to make was that if the sparring was right then yes he did make the right choice, i heard he was sparring with Vaughn Bean which if true is not bad company to keep. Audley is a clever guy, i have said all along that he will....1) Step back and let the competition slug it out with each other and then jump in and pick up the pieces and 2) Win a world title but in the form of a WBF, IBC or WBU.

My first thoughts are starting to show fruition as he avoids signing with allegedly and stays with the BBC (it appears that way) and thus avoids the best British opposition i.e. Sprott, Williams, Skelton etc but as for my second thoughts well...time will tell.

Audley has always had the intention of promoting himself which has been no secret (he now has his promoters licence), so there has never been a chance of Audley signing with allegedly and there will never be, so you could argue that Sprott and Williams are avoiding Audley by signing for allegedly rather than Audley avoiding them 2 by not signing for him. They were all in the same stable until they moved.

Audleys opposition has been par for the course (if not better) for an up and coming HW, but this year we will definately start to see a dramatic improvement in his opposition now that he has served his apprenticeship and alot more questions will be answered regarding

He has been sparring with Vaughn Bean among others (Duncan Dokiwatsit was another)

jamesmcdonnell · Post by **jamesmcdonnell** » 15 Jan 2004, 05:47

How about someone like Monte Barrett.

Chambers · Post by **Chambers** » 15 Jan 2004, 06:20

jamesmcdonnell wrote:How about someone like Monte Barrett.

As a next opponent I think it is a big step from Brian Nix, (although I would take Audley to beat him

),he has beat Witherspoon, Wiggins and Davis and was Wladimir Klits 35th opponent and Mesi's 28th

jamesmcdonnell · Post by **jamesmcdonnell** » 15 Jan 2004, 06:41

It is a big step up agreed, I did take the name off the top of my head.

steve689 · Post by **steve689** » 15 Jan 2004, 07:17

It's about time Audley granted Derek McCafferty the rematch we all want to see

He's been ducking big Derek ever since that inconclusive first fight.

Chambers · Post by **Chambers** » 15 Jan 2004, 08:09

steve689 wrote:It's about time Audley granted Derek McCafferty the rematch we all want to see He's been ducking big Derek ever since that inconclusive first fight.

you have turned into a bitter and twisted man

since the Wolves keep losing

jameswilson · Post by **jameswilson** » 15 Jan 2004, 10:25

Tell him Chambers. I'm shocked you think Barret would beat Harrison tho.

Chambers · Post by **Chambers** » 15 Jan 2004, 10:40

jameswilson wrote: I'm shocked you think Barret would beat Harrison tho.

I think you have misread my post

jameswilson · Post by **jameswilson** » 15 Jan 2004, 11:39

Bugger quite right mate. A fight and a victory over Barret would put him right up in most of the ranking sysems tho. Can only be a good option for me. Unfortunately I think he has been lined up for Guinn tho.