MICHAEL SPROTT is hoping he can collect his hush money when he fights Audley Harrison on Saturday night.
The EU heavyweight champion picks up the best purse of his career — around £80,000 — when he steps through the ropes at Wembley Arena.
But Sprott remembers the time when he was paid £200 for being Harrison’s sparring partner — and then agreeing not to breath a word to anyone.
Sprott, 32, revealed: “It was early in Audley’s career and lots was being written about him. He was keen that no stories about our sessions got out so he made me sign a confidentiality clause.
“I was happy to go along with it and I still can’t talk about what happened back then because the agreement is still legally binding.
“Did I ever put Audley on his backside during those sessions? Well ... I can’t say, can I?”
Sprott looked in terrific condition as he went through his final preparations at the Cityboxer gym in London.
He is convinced he can put Harrison on the canvas and halt the Olympic champion’s dream of a world-title shot by the end of this year.
Reading’s Sprott said: “I’ve nothing against Audley. He is a nice guy but this is all about business and fighting him represents a big opportunity for me, forget about him.
"I have my own ambitions about becoming world champion and beating Audley will put me up there with the big names.
“Obviously I know all about how Harrison fights from our sparring days and that is why I am so confident.
“A lot of people are saying Audley just has to turn up to win because of how he beat Danny Williams in his last bout.
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“I turned down the chance to fight Audley instead of Danny because I was not in full training. Danny took it at just eight days’ notice.
“Audley has some physical advantages being 6ft 5in and with a long reach but I box stronger.
“This is my 40th fight, this is my time. I will get rid of him as quick as I can and it will be my name up there not his.”
Sprott seems a top class bloke. Reading between the lines it sounds like he put Audley on his arse in the sparring sessions, but I don't think a knockdown 5 or so years ago will mean much come fight time.
We've not seen Audley in anything like a hard fight so far, not against quality anyway. I know Sprott isn't exactly king kong, but he is pretty nippy, has an underrated dig, and won't be a big immobile lump like Williams.
I read this in The Sun this morning. When I read it, my 'reading between the lines' suggested that Michael Sprott didn't do Audley any damage whatsoever in sparring, but brought up that he wasn't allowed to say if he did or not to make it sound like he did.