Big Audley's first challenger...a thought

bennie · Post by **bennie** » 04 Apr 2004, 17:52

Audley Harrison makes the first defence of his WBF title on May 8 in Bristol. His challenger is to be announced this week. I've just been browsing the Independent World Boxing Rankings and one man who would make an ideal challenger in my opinion, is Ross Purrity.
He holds a win over Wladmir Klitschko but is now 37 and possibly past his best.
I must admit, I'm no expert when it comes to heavyweights. Is Purrity too good? Or will Audley simply be fighting a fellow European?

stujones · Post by **stujones** » 04 Apr 2004, 17:56

bennie wrote:Audley Harrison makes the first defence of his WBF title on May 8 in Bristol. His challenger is to be announced this week. I've just been browsing the Independent World Boxing Rankings and one man who would make an ideal challenger in my opinion, is Ross Purrity.
He holds a win over Wladmir Klitschko but is now 37 and possibly past his best.
I must admit, I'm no expert when it comes to heavyweights. Is Purrity too good? Or will Audley simply be fighting a fellow European?

Purrity wouldn't be bad, but he seems to be a bit of a punch bag these days. I doubt it will be him though.

Purrity does remind of Long in many ways, it would be a close fight between those two (Long and Purrity now) - although I think (I hope) Long's extra ambition would give him a win.

adamiw · Post by **adamiw** » 04 Apr 2004, 17:58

i'd like to see him against Samil Sam. Someone we all know, we can measue him against Danny Williams and some others.

Wales · Post by **Wales** » 04 Apr 2004, 17:58

Samuel Peter has been calling harrison out in the US although i cannot see either parties promoters wanting the fight just yet.

adamiw · Post by **adamiw** » 04 Apr 2004, 18:03

Wales wrote:Samuel Peter has been calling harrison out in the US although i cannot see either parties promoters wanting the fight just yet.

Harrison mentioned him as being the biggest prospect out there other than him.

that could of been the truth, or just hype for a future match up.

bennie · Post by **bennie** » 04 Apr 2004, 18:05

Samil Sam has just signed a promotional deal with a big German promoter, so I think he'll be out of the running. They would demand options to take a fight with Harrison.

adamiw · Post by **adamiw** » 04 Apr 2004, 18:07

bennie wrote:Samil Sam has just signed a promotional deal with a big German promoter, so I think he'll be out of the running. They would demand options to take a fight with Harrison.

yeah, and Audley would probably have to travel.

bennie · Post by **bennie** » 04 Apr 2004, 18:09

Again, just looking at the rankings: is Ray Mercer a possibility?

The Hawk · Post by **The Hawk** » 04 Apr 2004, 18:09

His name never crossed my mind to be honest, but now that you put it forward I reckon it would be a good fight for Audley at this point. Ross Puritty is a war horse, and Audley needs rounds behind him, I reckon Purritty would give him plenty of rounds and more than likely the twelve round distance.

He's 6 foot 3" which is another thing which is good. Id like to see Audley in with taller fighters now, as we are too used to seeing him against smaller heavyweights or blown up cruisers.

Purritty has survived the distance with heavyweights like Hasim Rahman, Michael Grant, Corrie Sanders, Larry Donald, Chris Byrd and it took Vitali Klitschko 11 rounds to stop him. So hes very durable and of course his now famous early win of Wlad.

Question would be would Audley be prepaired to fight Puritty, he's never been 12 rounds and on paper it looks like that type of fight. Audley does not know what hes like over 12, so that may be in his mind.

Id like to see it next, would tell us a thing or two about Audley and its a fight he can win.

The Hawk · Post by **The Hawk** » 04 Apr 2004, 18:13

Even though Ray Mercer is over the hill in boxing terms, I can't see Harrison going in with him at this stage. Mercer can still carry that one punch knockout and even though Audley could out box Ray Im sure, theres a big risk in his early stage of his career that if Mercer can land one of those shots, it would all be over for A-Force

Mercer is dangerous as far as his punch. The last thing too go in a fighter. Like Foreman!!

stujones · Post by **stujones** » 04 Apr 2004, 18:14

bennie wrote:Again, just looking at the rankings: is Ray Mercer a possibility?

Now that would be a good match up, I can't see it happening cause Mercer can live off his name for a bit longer and I think if he gets a couple of wins under his belt he will start calling out the champions.

Mercer is shot though I am afraid, its very winnable for Harrison (infact I would be very surprised to see Mercer last the cause) his punch resistance is on the wane (did you see the Brian Scott fight in Denmark) and he's looks slow and old. Reminds me of Tony Tucker against Herbie Hide.

There are guys who Mercer can beat, and these are who he'll fight.

MightyWarrior · Post by **MightyWarrior** » 04 Apr 2004, 18:17

Puritty would suite them I think, durable but not a big puncher.
Mercer still hits too hard at this stage, to risk your million pound investment.
Sam? I seriously doubt they'd risk a fight with him, not for a while yet. If he can beat Williams, he'd have a good chance of derailing a green novice like Audley too.

More likely some Eastern European cruiserweight we've never heard of.

bennie · Post by **bennie** » 04 Apr 2004, 18:22

Unfortunately, I am unable to open the EBU heavyweight rankings. Would someone post the EBU's current heavyweight rankings please.
http://www.boxebu.com/

Matchfixer · Post by **Matchfixer** » 04 Apr 2004, 18:30

I came up with the name Rene Monse a few weeks back in a similar thread.

Somebody then listed all the reasons why he would be good, i.e,

Durable
Not too heavy fisted (Only half his wins by knockout)
Floored Krasniqi before losing on an MD (his only defeat to date)
6ft 3 and a Southpaw.

Downsides maybe his age (35) and that fighting at the beginning of May would be his first fight in 6 months unless anyone knows any different.

I don't know his weight.

Does anyone know anything about him and his suitability?

MightyWarrior · Post by **MightyWarrior** » 04 Apr 2004, 18:39

bennie wrote:Unfortunately, I am unable to open the EBU heavyweight rankings. Would someone post the EBU's current heavyweight rankings please.
http://www.boxebu.com/

Feb 14th -
Champ: Krasniqi
Challenger: Hoffman
Vlad
Vitali
Sam
Sprott
Levin
williams
Bakhatov
Nielsen
Bonin
Hide
Kandelaki
Hersisia
Verchis
Sosnowski
Monse
Harrison
Skelton
Vidoz
Seror
Sauer

mickeybeard · Post by **mickeybeard** » 04 Apr 2004, 18:47

If he's going the Europena route, I suggested Bonin over at Boxing Addicts. While I've never seen him fight, he is ranked higher than Audley (assuming Audley now occupies Hersia's spot), looks fairly safe on paper, and is unbeaten which would make a massive difference in selling the fight to the general public. Any of our Euorpean chums know what he's like?

stujones · Post by **stujones** » 04 Apr 2004, 19:29

What about Snowoski (spelling?) - ranked higher than Harrison by the EBU, based in the UK and apparently (judging by a thread I put on him yonks ago) not that good.

Its a good one to boost his EBU ranking if nothing else.

Matchfixer · Post by **Matchfixer** » 04 Apr 2004, 19:33

stujones wrote:What about Snowoski (spelling?) - ranked higher than Harrison by the EBU, based in the UK and apparently (judging by a thread I put on him yonks ago) not that good.

Its a good one to boost his EBU ranking if nothing else.

I think Audley might be looking for genuine increased quality now judging by this afternoon's (and his whole professional career's) statements.

jameswilson · Post by **jameswilson** » 05 Apr 2004, 07:37

It was me who suggested Rene Monse, and listed all his good points, he is a southpaw as well. I was reliably informed it would be Steffen Nielsen who holds a win over Julius Francis. But on the BBC yesterday Aud said he was about to finalise a deal which then fell through, this could have been Nielsen. I expect it to be a European boxer and one ranked in the EBU ratings.

Matchfixer · Post by **Matchfixer** » 05 Apr 2004, 08:07

jameswilson wrote:It was me who suggested Rene Monse, and listed all his good points, he is a southpaw as well. I was reliably informed it would be Steffen Nielsen who holds a win over Julius Francis. But on the BBC yesterday Aud said he was about to finalise a deal which then fell through, this could have been Nielsen. I expect it to be a European boxer and one ranked in the EBU ratings.

I suggested Monse!!! (on the thread who next for Audley? page 2. your response came 40 minutes later!)

Steffen Nielsen would be/ would have been a fair enough match up.

bennie · Post by **bennie** » 05 Apr 2004, 09:24

Audley is big on marketing. His opponent will look good on paper for sure, but will be more style than substance.

bennie · Post by **bennie** » 05 Apr 2004, 09:31

latuch wrote:
stujones wrote:What about Snowoski (spelling?) - ranked higher than Harrison by the EBU, based in the UK and apparently (judging by a thread I put on him yonks ago) not that good.

Its a good one to boost his EBU ranking if nothing else.
Sosnowski is fighting bums with 1-4 records and going nowhere. He has some skills but he would be KOed by any decent heavyweight. That is why he is overprotected I think.

Well, it's him then. Is he tied to any promoter?

Bard of Boxrec · Post by **Bard of Boxrec** » 05 Apr 2004, 09:32

would audley's european ranking actually be improved with the WBF title on the line?

he should try and draft in an american like Cley Bey who has recently lost and would have reason to take the fight. or etienne. A NAME, AT LEAST, PLEASE! ain't too far fetched. cley bey probably wouldn't be able to find a higher profile fight anywhere.

Big Audley's first challenger...a thought

Big Audley's first challenger...a thought

Re: Big Audley's first challenger...a thought

calling him out

Re: calling him out