Whats going on with Audley Harrison?

[Finn]

Havent heard anything about him for a while!

[ALI]

Thats because he's yesterday's news!

[metropol]

Id say hes retired

[n1ebf]

Thread died on it's fckin arse. Glad to see people are seeing sense.
Get a job Fraudley I ain't paying for your silk PJ's.

[oliverfennell]

hot

Thread died on it's fckin arse. Glad to see people are seeing sense.
Get a job Fraudley I ain't paying for your silk PJ's.

But by posting in the thread, you prolong its life...

[Bomber 1]

I still think he could do something with the right training and dedication!! I'd like to see him in with Sexton,Price,Chisora or Fury!!

[Quixall]

In reality, the only future for Audley, is as a stiff, used to give up and coming fighters like Chisora and Fury a recognisable name on their record. He won't go to that level, because he does'nt need the pay days and does'nt like taking punishment. If he has any sense, he will retire, becauase the guy has humiliated himself enough, with his bragging and subsequent defeats to relatively poor quality fighters.

[yiddo14]

He would be a good test for the up and comers. He would probably go into them fights very confident too, seeing them as beneath him. Would probably derail a few of them...well, all of them bar Price and Fury and even then they would still need more experience than they have right now.

I doubt his "pride" would allow it though.

Still, he has his Gold Medal and that can never be taken away from him.

[Quixall]

He would be a good test for the up and comers. He would probably go into them fights very confident too, seeing them as beneath him. Would probably derail a few of them...well, all of them bar Price and Fury and even then they would still need more experience than they have right now.

I doubt his "pride" would allow it though.

Still, he has his Gold Medal and that can never be taken away from him.

Audley was a prime example of a good amateur boxer, who could'nt quite adapt to the pro ranks, not only style wise, but also the very basics, such as having some guts, determination and courage. After he was de-railed by Sprott, he was effectively finished. I just hope that he made enough money to be comfortable, through all that Audley "A-FORCE" type nonsense, a complete hype machine was Audley.

[yiddo14]

Audley also benefitted from a very weak division at the Olympics. He would have lost to any of the previous Olympic Super Heavy Champs and any since had they been around in Sydney.

[Adamj1987]

hope he fights another taxi driver excpet an english 1 so its not as hard for him

[n1ebf]

Still, he has his Gold Medal and that can never be taken away from him.

Yes, but he went about as far as you can go to cheapening that achievement if you ask me (and a suspect a few thousand others).

[BAMBI]

mantra- "yes i can".."lose"

[Collins2000]

I think he could have a great future in pantomime.

[oliverfennell]

Audley was a prime example of a good amateur boxer, who could'nt quite adapt to the pro ranks, not only style wise, but also the very basics, such as having some guts, determination and courage.

So you don't need those qualities in amateur boxing? It doesn't take those qualities to succeed at the highest level of any sport? And yes the Olympics are the highest level of amateur boxing. Granted pro boxing is tougher, to to win Olympic gold in any discipline takes an enormous amount of guts and determination.

I'm as disappointed as anybody about how Audley's pro career unfolded, but people bending over backwards to discredit his amateur credentials betray at best a bias, and at worst a lack of understanding.

It takes "guts, determination and courage" to step into the ring for a single fight at any level, even if it's schoolboy novices in front of a couple of dozen people. When the critics have gone even a tiny fraction towards replicating Audley's success in the biggest sporting event in the world, in front of millions watching on TV, not to mention when carrying an injury, then you might start to have a legitimate platform.

Now, I'm not one of those people who say you have to do something before you can comment on it, but my God, keep it in perspective. Whatever you think of Audley's pro carer, to say you can even reach Olympic level (let alone win the whole thing) without guts is just absurd.

[Quixall]

Audley was a prime example of a good amateur boxer, who could'nt quite adapt to the pro ranks, not only style wise, but also the very basics, such as having some guts, determination and courage.

So you don't need those qualities in amateur boxing? It doesn't take those qualities to succeed at the highest level of any sport? And yes the Olympics are the highest level of amateur boxing. Granted pro boxing is tougher, to to win Olympic gold in any discipline takes an enormous amount of guts and determination.

I'm as disappointed as anybody about how Audley's pro career unfolded, but people bending over backwards to discredit his amateur credentials betray at best a bias, and at worst a lack of understanding.

It takes "guts, determination and courage" to step into the ring for a single fight at any level, even if it's schoolboy novices in front of a couple of dozen people. When the critics have gone even a tiny fraction towards replicating Audley's success in the biggest sporting event in the world, in front of millions watching on TV, not to mention when carrying an injury, then you might start to have a legitimate platform.

Now, I'm not one of those people who say you have to do something before you can comment on it, but my God, keep it in perspective. Whatever you think of Audley's pro carer, to say you can even reach Olympic level (let alone win the whole thing) without guts is just absurd.

The pro game is way different to the Amateurs and once the head gear came off, Audley did'nt want to take any punishment and mix it in the ring. The only time i can remember him doing it, was when he fought Danny Williams and had a point to prove, the rest of the time he was gun shy and even Barry McGuigan said the exact same thing. That's what i mean by having some guts and courage, fair enough, maybe the "not having determination" comment was out not warrented. If you want to go somewhere in the game, you have to be prepared to trade shots at some point and Harrison looked scared a lot of the time, he just could'nt face up to the dangers in the ring and he became negative in fights and that effected his style and cost him dearly. Also, i certainly don't go along with the " You have to have done it, to have an opinion..." theory and you highlight that yourself, so all i do is judge him against his peers, ie, other professionals and the hype and expectation that was put upon him, not only by the media, but by himself and the conclusion is that he failed miserably. I would say that there is a difference between the Amateurs and the pro ranks and that is the level at which your exposed to danger and in the final analysis, one of the major reasons that Harrison failed was because he could'nt cope with the physical rigours of the pro game. I feel that he thought he could have a similar style to what he had in the amatuers and pot shot his way to wins, without having to take shots and eventually he realised that this was'nt going to be the case, but failed to fully adapt that aspect and consequently paid the price, because he never developed the style to be successful in the professional game.

[Ash-Weston]

He is in training and is still hungry according to his facebook page!!

[mike john]

Audley was a prime example of a good amateur boxer, who could'nt quite adapt to the pro ranks, not only style wise, but also the very basics, such as having some guts, determination and courage.

So you don't need those qualities in amateur boxing? It doesn't take those qualities to succeed at the highest level of any sport? And yes the Olympics are the highest level of amateur boxing. Granted pro boxing is tougher, to to win Olympic gold in any discipline takes an enormous amount of guts and determination.

I'm as disappointed as anybody about how Audley's pro career unfolded, but people bending over backwards to discredit his amateur credentials betray at best a bias, and at worst a lack of understanding.

It takes "guts, determination and courage" to step into the ring for a single fight at any level, even if it's schoolboy novices in front of a couple of dozen people. When the critics have gone even a tiny fraction towards replicating Audley's success in the biggest sporting event in the world, in front of millions watching on TV, not to mention when carrying an injury, then you might start to have a legitimate platform.

Now, I'm not one of those people who say you have to do something before you can comment on it, but my God, keep it in perspective. Whatever you think of Audley's pro carer, to say you can even reach Olympic level (let alone win the whole thing) without guts is just absurd.

as with most things in boxing and life, its all about levels. audley had the stones to succeed as an amatuer, but he clearly lacks the intestinal fortitude to do what ya gotta do to succeed in the paid ranks, i.e take risks, not be terrified to take shots, etc. hes clearly fought scared when thinks werent going his way

[Quixall]

I totally agree Mike and that was my main point with regards to Audley Harrison

[oliverfennell]

Yep, fair analysis and nothing that I disagree with re. his pro career. It's just that I find attempts to discredit his amateur credentials unwarranted. It was a long-overdue piece of history and one of British boxing's great successes. Plus I maintain that to even reach Olympic level requires a great deal of fortitude, whether it's boxing or equestrianism or synchronised swimming!

And it is a myth that Audley won in a weak field. OK, there was no Stevenson or Klitschko, but it was soild. Not the best, not the worst. But to even qualify for the Olympics is an enormous achievement that unfolds over many, many months in the highest class. Simply by its qualification structure, the only way you can make it into the Games is on merit.

[yiddo14]

I went OTT saying it was a very weak division that he competed in that year.
The Olympics is the pinnacle of Amateur Boxing(even if the World's are harder)and his achievement was superb.

Still, I think he is the worst of all the Olympic Super Heavy Gold Medallist's, not that it matters!

[streak]

I think its more his dedication to the sport which caused his downfall

[Quixall]

Yep, fair analysis and nothing that I disagree with re. his pro career. It's just that I find attempts to discredit his amateur credentials unwarranted. It was a long-overdue piece of history and one of British boxing's great successes. Plus I maintain that to even reach Olympic level requires a great deal of fortitude, whether it's boxing or equestrianism or synchronised swimming!

And it is a myth that Audley won in a weak field. OK, there was no Stevenson or Klitschko, but it was soild. Not the best, not the worst. But to even qualify for the Olympics is an enormous achievement that unfolds over many, many months in the highest class. Simply by its qualification structure, the only way you can make it into the Games is on merit.

I personally would'nt denegrate Harrison's Amateur record, Oliver. My comments were directed towards his pro career and i think we agree on many aspects. As you said in a previous post, one of the most fustrating things, is seeing how Audley squandered his pro career, when put into comparison with his amateur career, where, regardless of the opposition, he went to the very top. It's not always the case that every single gold medalist at the olympic games goes on to be a success at the pro game, but Harrison was coming into a heavyweight division that was essentially quite poor, in comparison to previous era's. I would have thought that he could have got to a world title challenge, when you consider that both Williams and Skelton have had made challenges in recent years and those two have never been anything other than Euro level fighters. It's still a massive achievement to have got the gold medal at the Olympics and maybe Harrison just did'nt have the style or talent to be a success in the pro game, but i think his own demons and to a lesser degree, his management, lead to his downfall and a dissapointing pro career..

[oliverfennell]

I too thought he would at least compete for a world title, although not sure he could win one. Some of his early bouts were very impressive IMO, and another myth was that he was fighting stiffs. Of course he was fighting opponents he was favoured to beat, but they were still of a much higher grade than novice pros typically fight, and were all chosen for a reason, to further his experience - for example the short sluggers (Middleton, Negus), the rangy boxers (Krence, McCafferty), a super heavyweight (Long), lighter types (Negus), durable ones to take him the distance (Draskovic), and so on.

As for what went wrong - ultimately I do agree there was something missing in him which you need to succeed in the pros compared to the amateurs. Plus I'm sure the big signing bonus from the BBC blunted his hunger, and then trying to go it alone from the get-go was in hindsight the wrong move. All a boxer should concern himself with is training and fighting, but he was essentially managing not only himself but a stable (the short-lived A-Force Promotions), dealing with the press and other extra-curricular engagements, working on TV deals, and so on. It wasn't so bad when he was working in association with Jess Harding, but after that it all started to get too much, especially once he hit 12-round class, resulting in poor form against Francis and particularly Bonin.

[Punchy Joe]

I think he should retire, he did great winning the gold medal but he just couldn't make it as a pro.
He could come back with a few low key wins, but he's hardly going to make any improvements pushing 38 is he?