A-Force open letter to Eubank Snr

[el_grande_mauro_mina]

The letter is 95% about himself (typical Audley) but to say that British society is institutionally racist

Well, it is Which is something that has in common with most societies on the planet.

If he said it wasn't - he'd be lying and he'd be wrong.

I'll bet your personal experiences don't match up to anything that's worth writing about regarding non-white people's experiences in this country.

[el_grande_mauro_mina]

One thing I didn't understand at the time and still don't, is how ANYBODY thought that Harrison was going to win. I'm not talking about people with immense boxing knowledge, I mean anybody at all.

I thought he stood a great chance at the time, but in retrospect he was massively shot. Oh well...

[banjo]

The letter is 95% about himself (typical Audley) but to say that British society is institutionally racist

Well, it is Which is something that has in common with most societies on the planet.

If he said it wasn't - he'd be lying and he'd be wrong.

I'll bet your personal experiences don't match up to anything that's worth writing about regarding non-white people's experiences in this country.

I'd say it's more 'classist' than it is racist.

[el_grande_mauro_mina]

The letter is 95% about himself (typical Audley) but to say that British society is institutionally racist

Well, it is Which is something that has in common with most societies on the planet.

If he said it wasn't - he'd be lying and he'd be wrong.

I'll bet your personal experiences don't match up to anything that's worth writing about regarding non-white people's experiences in this country.

I'd say it's more 'classist' than it is racist.

Classism is a bigger problem in the UK, something that doesn't really exist in places like Finland (for example) but Britain and basically any country that has had a colonial past and has a long standing population from those former colonies has a problem with 'institutional racism' that's not to say things are not being done about it, but still....

But yes, in the UK - classism is a lot more ingrained than racism.

[Stuarty]

Fair play to Parcel Force: if he could fight as well as he could talk, Joe Louis & Muhammad Ali would be at numbers 2 & 3 in the all-time HW rankings.

He had me genuinely thinking he was going to tank Haye! It was like some Derren Brown shìt!

Really?

It was clear he had zero belief when he was at the press conference with Haye. Haye shut him right up.

Yeah I was under his spell James

[Syntax Error]

Really?

It was clear he had zero belief when he was at the press conference with Haye. Haye shut him right up.

One thing I didn't understand at the time and still don't, is how ANYBODY thought that Harrison was going to win. I'm not talking about people with immense boxing knowledge, I mean anybody at all.

You didn't even need to have seen them fight, you just needed to have read a sports section in the paper at some point in the previous decade. Every fight he had, straight from his debut, the papers were saying Audley was rubbish, he couldn't fight, he needed to step up. Every. Single. Fight. All boxing magazines, all newspapers, all internet reports. Everybody said it. Every fight.

The BBC pundits were saying it when he was on the BBC, the ITV pundits were saying it when he was on ITV, the Sky Sports pundits said it when he was on Sky Sports.

Every time I mentioned I liked boxing to people, people were saying to me; "So, when is Audley going to step up?" It was legitimately the first thing they asked me.

Then suddenly, out of nowhere, he was fighting David Haye and every media outlet hyped it as a big fight. People who'd been telling me best part of ten years how rubbish Audley was were saying they were going to watch the fight, because it was such a decent looking fight.

I can only put it down to some kind of mass delusion or mental illness. I have no other explanation for people who thought Audley would win. And that's coming from somebody who used to defend him.

I was suspicious of him from the early days, but I kept the faith & kept supporting him, however, after Danny Williams 1, I stopped believing in him at all.

There can be no excuse for losing a fight that he could easily have won had he not wet himself every time Williams aimed a punch in his general direction.

The Haye fight was a total farce & probably said more about Haye's heavyweight career than it said about Parcel Force's failings.

[rhino222]

well well well...audley plays the race card, the old 'we are picked on by society and the media' card

the bbc were not racist, they employed more black and asian people during the times audley is referring too than most other employers.

the problem with audley is that his fists did not cash the cheques his mouth was writing.

and eubank!!....... the silk pyjamas line is an old marvelloue marvin hagler name. now there is a boxer who was a-force.

[Gnome]

The letter is 95% about himself (typical Audley) but to say that British society is institutionally racist

Well, it is Which is something that has in common with most societies on the planet.

If he said it wasn't - he'd be lying and he'd be wrong.

I'll bet your personal experiences don't match up to anything that's worth writing about regarding non-white people's experiences in this country.

Ah come off it. We're talking about Audley Harrison MBE's boxing career. I can't see any evidence at all how "racism" has somehow damaged his career. His professional run was disappointing considering his amateur pedigree (all publicly funded) but he has done very well out of it. If people give him stick, it's because he has underachieved not because of his skin colour.

This from someone who always stuck up for A-Force whenever people were talking wank about him.

[jamesmcdonnell]

Audrey's just trying to offload the blame for his career not panning out how he would have liked. Blaming his wrangles with the boxing establishment for thwarting him and institutional racism is a crock of shite.

[TheCobra]

Well one thing's for sure, he's still as deluded now as he ever was during his career.

[coneye]

In all seriousness ,its stupid talk by high profile guys like him that fuel racism ... If it was coming from an unemployed , black guy who's been in and out of nick half his life , then you can sort of understand ,, But when its a high profile rich sporstman , who was nutured and sponsored by govt money , cheered on and supported by black and white alike that comes out with this shite ,, well then it fuels the other side , the poor unemployed , in and out of nick white guy who feels hard done to .

Like said by others the divide in Britain is class and money ,, with the exception of Tyson Furey cos he's a gypo only joking actually he's not gypsy anymore anyway ,, we'll find out next week when he wants another headline what he's gonna be next .

[Nightmare Roy]

Crazy talk he had the world at his feet, he just wasn't good enough.

I heard a great story about him when he had just turned pro, allegedly he tried to get into a high end restaurant but was knocked back because he was wearing a bright tracksuit, apparently he said to the door staff "it's ok just let management know that Audley Harrison is in the building"

[TheGman]

Crazy talk he had the world at his feet, he just wasn't good enough.

I heard a great story about him when he had just turned pro, allegedly he tried to get into a high end restaurant but was knocked back because he was wearing a bright tracksuit, apparently he said to the door staff "it's ok just let management know that Audley Harrison is in the building"

Hahaha what a plum

[magwitch]

For someone so big he had a heart the size if a peanut but wants to blame race issues and other promotors for him not reaching his goals,if i had a career like his i would be pleased.

British champ,european champ,prizefighter winner (£32,000 for knocking 3 ppl out),world title challenger on ppv(millions for not even throwing a punch in 3 rounds),he has made his money and had a successful career for damn right average,i bet there are fighters out ther(white fighters) that havent had the oppertunities he has had plus i bet there are fighters out there who havent earned as much as he did or been given a medal by the queen.

For someone who hasnt had the rub of the green because of the racism in this country he has done very well.

Shame, because apart from that delusion, I think he's a nice guy. Outside of the ring anyway.

Not just outside the ring, in the ring too! Couldn’t meet a lovelier, kinder soul!

[bripez]

In all seriousness ,its stupid talk by high profile guys like him that fuel racism ... If it was coming from an unemployed , black guy who's been in and out of nick half his life , then you can sort of understand ,, But when its a high profile rich sporstman , who was nutured and sponsored by govt money , cheered on and supported by black and white alike that comes out with this shite ,, well then it fuels the other side , the poor unemployed , in and out of nick white guy who feels hard done to .

I agree - the problem is the lack of self-awareness of these people. Like Meryl Streep referring to her multi-millionaire actor mates as the most maligned group in the US or whatever bollox it was.

These people have a platform to do some good in the world not to make out they are part of some oppressed group when they live far from that reality.

According to the article Audley reckons it was down to him that the 2012 Olympic squad was so successful, and also Eddie wouldn't be doing his PPV scams if it wasn't for him.

The bloke is so deluded it isn't true.

[gp.]

The letter is 95% about himself (typical Audley) but to say that British society is institutionally racist

Well, it is Which is something that has in common with most societies on the planet.

If he said it wasn't - he'd be lying and he'd be wrong.

I'll bet your personal experiences don't match up to anything that's worth writing about regarding non-white people's experiences in this country.

Ah come off it. We're talking about Audley Harrison MBE's boxing career. I can't see any evidence at all how "racism" has somehow damaged his career. His professional run was disappointing considering his amateur pedigree (all publicly funded) but he has done very well out of it. If people give him stick, it's because he has underachieved not because of his skin colour.

This from someone who always stuck up for A-Force whenever people were talking wank about him.

British society is institutionally racist.

Racism hasn't harmed Audley Harrison's career.

Audley Harrison is a twat.


These three things are all true and are not contradictory.

[magwitch]

One thing I didn't understand at the time and still don't, is how ANYBODY thought that Harrison was going to win. I'm not talking about people with immense boxing knowledge, I mean anybody at all.

I thought he stood a great chance at the time, but in retrospect he was massively shot. Oh well...

I think you’re a country mile out there mate - it is EXACTLY how I Like Beer says - Harrison’s mentality inside of the boxing ring was the deciding factor, not his physical conditioning.

I had a “casual fan” friend that paid 15 quid for it. I berated him when I found out what he’d done - then I went round his house and had a can and watched it

[Crease]

I read through the whole letter. Audley has let himself down again a whole bucketful, only outside of the ring this time.
He comes across as very bitter, immature & vindictive.
In particular this part
" I had already promised myself early in my career (and told the world), I would never sign a deal with him or win a world title for him, so it became a self-fulfilling prophecy in my career, when I signed on the dotted line.

Looking back, when I unfairly lost my BBC deal, I should have walked away from boxing into retirement, as there was nowhere else I could turn. Frank was back in control and no television network would give me my own broadcasting deal.

Not fulfilling my goals to be a multi-belt world champion does hurt a bit, I can’t lie … but seeing allegedly and Matchroom as the successors in my capitulation irritates me even more.

Look at Matchroom now, they signed every Olympian with the ‘Look at Audley, he tried to do everything himself and failed’ so we must control everything, and each fighter has had to accept it. Matchroom to be fair (under Eddie) have been much more willing to tie boxers into the television money than when I turned professional, but they have used me to have even more control than Warren has.

When I signed my direct deal with BBC, allegedly could not believe or accept that I pulled it off. The player got played, and I was in the game BIG TIME. I heard you mention Barry Hearn’s comment to you and it made me smile.

As Kellie (Frank) Maloney spoke about in the Big Brother house in 2014, the two Franks had to do everything and anything to ensure I didn’t make it."
Has Audley convinced himself that somehow allegedly has robbed him from a World Heavyweight title?

[TheGman]

I read through the whole letter. Audley has let himself down again a whole bucketful, only outside of the ring this time.
He comes across as very bitter, immature & vindictive.
In particular this part
" I had already promised myself early in my career (and told the world), I would never sign a deal with him or win a world title for him, so it became a self-fulfilling prophecy in my career, when I signed on the dotted line.

Looking back, when I unfairly lost my BBC deal, I should have walked away from boxing into retirement, as there was nowhere else I could turn. Frank was back in control and no television network would give me my own broadcasting deal.

Not fulfilling my goals to be a multi-belt world champion does hurt a bit, I can’t lie … but seeing allegedly and Matchroom as the successors in my capitulation irritates me even more.

Look at Matchroom now, they signed every Olympian with the ‘Look at Audley, he tried to do everything himself and failed’ so we must control everything, and each fighter has had to accept it. Matchroom to be fair (under Eddie) have been much more willing to tie boxers into the television money than when I turned professional, but they have used me to have even more control than Warren has.

When I signed my direct deal with BBC, allegedly could not believe or accept that I pulled it off. The player got played, and I was in the game BIG TIME. I heard you mention Barry Hearn’s comment to you and it made me smile.

As Kellie (Frank) Maloney spoke about in the Big Brother house in 2014, the two Franks had to do everything and anything to ensure I didn’t make it."
Has Audley convinced himself that somehow allegedly has robbed him from a World Heavyweight title?

Imo the olympians dont need matchroom or any other promotor to say look at audley he tried to do everything himself and failed,they have their own eyes and mind and imo a fighter should concentrate on fighting not managing and promoting his own fights when he has just turned pro,this was audleys downfall. He should of signed with frank and fw would of got him some sort of world title

[jamesmcdonnell]

I read through the whole letter. Audley has let himself down again a whole bucketful, only outside of the ring this time.
He comes across as very bitter, immature & vindictive.
In particular this part
" I had already promised myself early in my career (and told the world), I would never sign a deal with him or win a world title for him, so it became a self-fulfilling prophecy in my career, when I signed on the dotted line.

Looking back, when I unfairly lost my BBC deal, I should have walked away from boxing into retirement, as there was nowhere else I could turn. Frank was back in control and no television network would give me my own broadcasting deal.

Not fulfilling my goals to be a multi-belt world champion does hurt a bit, I can’t lie … but seeing allegedly and Matchroom as the successors in my capitulation irritates me even more.

Look at Matchroom now, they signed every Olympian with the ‘Look at Audley, he tried to do everything himself and failed’ so we must control everything, and each fighter has had to accept it. Matchroom to be fair (under Eddie) have been much more willing to tie boxers into the television money than when I turned professional, but they have used me to have even more control than Warren has.

When I signed my direct deal with BBC, allegedly could not believe or accept that I pulled it off. The player got played, and I was in the game BIG TIME. I heard you mention Barry Hearn’s comment to you and it made me smile.

As Kellie (Frank) Maloney spoke about in the Big Brother house in 2014, the two Franks had to do everything and anything to ensure I didn’t make it."
Has Audley convinced himself that somehow allegedly has robbed him from a World Heavyweight title?

Imo the olympians dont need matchroom or any other promotor to say look at audley he tried to do everything himself and failed,they have their own eyes and mind and imo a fighter should concentrate on fighting not managing and promoting his own fights when he has just turned pro,this was audleys downfall. He should of signed with frank and fw would of got him some sort of world title

I tend to agree. It's a distraction a fighter doesn't need, splitting their attention and focus.

It's fine for well established names, nearer the end of their career, as they have the resources to deal with it, but starting out - no way.

[gp.]

When Audley says "Not fulfilling my goals to be a multi-belt world champion does hurt a bit, I can’t lie" , do you think that means that he counts the WBF title as meaning he was a one belt world champion?

It's an odd choice of phrase otherwise. A bit like if Tim Henman were to say "I regret that I never managed to win Wimbledon more than once."

[magwitch]

When Audley says "Not fulfilling my goals to be a multi-belt world champion does hurt a bit, I can’t lie" , do you think that means that he counts the WBF title as meaning he was a one belt world champion?

It's an odd choice of phrase otherwise. A bit like if Tim Henman were to say "I regret that I never managed to win Wimbledon more than once."

I think it's got absolutely nothing to do with the WBF title and he is probably referring to a "goal" that he had long before he even knew he'd fight for the WBF title.
A more accurate Henman comparison might be to say "never fulfilled my goal of becoming a multiple-Grand Slam winner".........tbh, I can not remember if Henman ever won one of the big 4. I don't think he did. He managed 4 Wimbledon Semi-Finals (his best surface), which if you ask me was a fantastic achievement. His best shot came against Ivanisovic - in the semi final, in the year that Goran only ended up in the tournament on a "Wild Card".....to be fair tho, Goran went on and won the thing in some fairytale style. I was just thinking about that yesterday ironically.
You could reasonably argue, that were it not for Pete Sampras, Henman probably would have won at least one Wimbledon.

[boxingknockout]

Jesus Audley is such a Bellend. He got the biggest contract ever in British history for a pro debut and some rubbish fights. He got many good opportunities and failed at each game changer. He did himself no favours with the public with his PR / mouth. He got kod in every big fight he had, including a big money PPV fight he didn't deserve, and where he threw one punch.

But that's not his fault. His failure is due to 2 Franks and institutional racism that was so severe every white Brit was desperate for Mike Middleton to Ko him, and who went nuts when he got starched by white supremacist fighter David Haye.

[jamesmcdonnell]

Jesus Audley is such a Bellend. He got the biggest contract ever in British history for a pro debut and some rubbish fights. He got many good opportunities and failed at each game changer. He did himself no favours with the public with his PR / mouth. He got kod in every big fight he had, including a big money PPV fight he didn't deserve, and where he threw one punch.

But that's not his fault. His failure is due to 2 Franks and institutional racism that was so severe every white Brit was desperate for Mike Middleton to Ko him, and who went nuts when he got starched by white supremacist fighter David Haye.

This encapsulates my feelings about Audley, a huge, bulky, bellend.

[jamesmcdonnell]

Jesus Audley is such a Bellend. He got the biggest contract ever in British history for a pro debut and some rubbish fights. He got many good opportunities and failed at each game changer. He did himself no favours with the public with his PR / mouth. He got kod in every big fight he had, including a big money PPV fight he didn't deserve, and where he threw one punch.

But that's not his fault. His failure is due to 2 Franks and institutional racism that was so severe every white Brit was desperate for Mike Middleton to Ko him, and who went nuts when he got starched by white supremacist fighter David Haye.

Yeah, I mean, look at all the plaudits that Tyson Fury received just because he's white, a gypo, and talks jabberwocky balls. See, proves my, oh wait a minute.