BoxRec

BRITAIN'S Audley Harrison continues his campaign in the States and takes part in his first 10-rounder against veteran American Brian Nix at the Edgewater Casino in Laughlin, Nevada this Friday (December 12). This fight was originally scheduled for the Cobo Hall in Detroit on the same date, but the whole ESPN2 show was moved to the new venue. The switch has pleased Harrison. He said on his website: "As I'm already in Nevada (he is training in Las Vegas), I'll have more training time and less travel time.
"Nix is a durable, come forward type," he added, "who should make a fight of it and give me some rounds."
The 33-year-old Nix won a split decision over Tim Witherspoon in a 10-rounder in March, but looked a little fortunate to nick that one and was stopped by comebacking Andrew Golota in seven rounds last time out in August. He's no puncher, with a record of 18-11 (3), but like his trainer, former 'world' light-middleweight title challenger, Rocky Fratto, is a tough, willing competitor who can take a punch, though his better heavyweight opponents, like Golota, Oleg Maskaev or Lawrence Clay-Bey, have eventually forced a stoppage. He was also beaten on cuts by unbeaten Canadian Jean-Francois Bergeron.
Witherspoon apart, probably his best win is over former Lennox Lewis 'world' title challenger, Phil Jackson, who he outpointed in a six-rounder last year.
"He seems to fight hard," says Audley, "so it should make for an exciting contest."
Southpaw Harrison, 13-0 (9), has boxed twice on his campaign in America (both inside-schedule wins). The 32-year-old former Olympic champion decided to spend the rest of 2003 over there following the fracas that surrounded his second round dismissal of Matthew Ellis at York Hall in May, when Audley was fined £1000 for his - indirect - role in the crowd disturbances that followed the Ellis win. Always under pressure to perform at home (where he insisted on topping bills in six-rounders), he has looked more relaxed on ESPN undercards in America and can ease into his first 10-rounder in a similar vein. He will have height and reach over Nix (though the American is no midget at 6ft 3ins) and should look to box steadily against a man who will almost certainly be around at the end.
Harrison has the talent to win this one clearly on points. A stoppage win, would be an excellent result indeed.
Highlights of the fight will be shown on BBC Grandstand the day after the fight (Saturday, December 13).

bennie wrote:
Harrison has the talent to win this one clearly on points. A stoppage win, would be an excellent result indeed.

Yeah I go along with this, Nix is probably Harrison best opponent so far - but there's still along way to go, and I'm afraid can no longer compare himself favourably to Lewis - who won the European title at this stage in his career.

AH to stop him late. He should look impressive

Actually, just looking at Nix's record again, he holds a 1998 over "Mad" Mitch Green. Now, that guy was loco.

Old Mitch "Blood" Green is still around, perhaps Lloyd Honeyghun can do something with him.

Who do you fellas want AH to fight after Nix?

shakermaker wrote:Who do you fellas want AH to fight after Nix?

I believe he's returning to England in 2004, so his next fight will probably be against a blown-up cruiserweight.
Oh, I'm so cynical.

shakermaker wrote:Who do you fellas want AH to fight after Nix?

Matt Skelton, Julius Francis, Keith Long, Frans Botha, Charles Shufford. Anybody with a pulse really.

He should be thinking of the likes of Danny Williams, Samil Sam etc.

I mentioned Botha for Mesi on the general forum and he'd be an ideal name for AH to bash up.

Long would be durable and ask questions. Francis last year would have been more of a fight. I hope he comes back to the UK and does fight for the British title by the end of the year.

yeah next year audley has to start stepping this career of his onwards and upwards.

the reason lennox was moved so quickly is cos he knew himself he was good enuff obviously audley isn't so confident 8) he should take on the domestic contenders first and then go for the british title not just go in face first against williams i'd also advise him to stay out of matt skelton's way as well.

I reckon AH would be ok with Skelton. Too big for him. This fight with HH and DW on the same bill live on the BBC top drawer and then I woke up!

shakermaker wrote:I reckon AH would be ok with Skelton. Too big for him. This fight with HH and DW on the same bill live on the BBC top drawer and then I woke up!

funny things dreams aren't they i dreamt i was playing football with sting once how strange

could audley keep skelton off though he's had trouble keeping the domestic boys off of him even the mighty matt ellis had him going in there 1st rd back in the summer, hence the reason he's done a runner and quite content with knocking over american club fighters.

Brian Nix is a step up from the last two guys Audley has fought but still way short of the kind of opposition he should be looking towards, i suppose Nix is better than nothing. I hope Audley has made use of that better sparring in America because to be frank he has not fought any good fighters in the ring while he has been there. I think he needs a Mike Holden or a Julius Francis when he comes back to the UK just to get a few people back on side. Harrison-Skelton would be a fight i would love to see at some point.

hitman_hatton1 wrote:

shakermaker wrote:I reckon AH would be ok with Skelton. Too big for him. This fight with HH and DW on the same bill live on the BBC top drawer and then I woke up!

funny things dreams aren't they i dreamt i was playing football with sting once how strange

could audley keep skelton off though he's had trouble keeping the domestic boys off of him even the mighty matt ellis had him going in there 1st rd back in the summer, hence the reason he's done a runner and quite content with knocking over american club fighters.

I think AH would be too big for Skelton and though AH would box cautiously in the first 2-3 rounds he'd take care of business. His boxing pedigree would get him through.

shakermaker wrote:

hitman_hatton1 wrote:

shakermaker wrote:I reckon AH would be ok with Skelton. Too big for him. This fight with HH and DW on the same bill live on the BBC top drawer and then I woke up!

funny things dreams aren't they i dreamt i was playing football with sting once how strange

could audley keep skelton off though he's had trouble keeping the domestic boys off of him even the mighty matt ellis had him going in there 1st rd back in the summer, hence the reason he's done a runner and quite content with knocking over american club fighters.

I think AH would be too big for Skelton and though AH would box cautiously in the first 2-3 rounds he'd take care of business. His boxing pedigree would get him through.

yeah i also fancy audley to come out on top if they were to fight but those early career experiences still make me wonder i mean if ellis could trouble him u get the feeling skelton would make mincemeat out of him.

i've got a lot of respect for harrison and when i put him down i'm only joking really that guy turned his life around and won the biggest prize in sport forget the world professional title the olympics is the biggest 8) and even though its been a less than sterling start i'm still really hoping he can get the ball rolling and become the man.

come on audley we haven't given up on ya yet

All this talk of "quality sparring" in Nevada - does anyone actually know who Aud has been sparring with?

stujones wrote:

shakermaker wrote:Who do you fellas want AH to fight after Nix?

Matt Skelton, Julius Francis, Keith Long, Frans Botha, Charles Shufford. Anybody with a pulse really.

He should be thinking of the likes of Danny Williams, Samil Sam etc.

stu do you think julius francis and keith long would actually be viable opponents? I think Audley will have leapfrogged that kind of standard by the time he gets home. i agree with shufford and botha though. beating skelton still wouldn't tell us much.

i really don't think danny will want to fight audley, after this latest farce pulling out against stiff packheiser. if they do meet, i have a feeling audley will annihilate danny in a contest more one sided than against samil-sam.

Riddick Blowe wrote:

stujones wrote:

shakermaker wrote:Who do you fellas want AH to fight after Nix?

Matt Skelton, Julius Francis, Keith Long, Frans Botha, Charles Shufford. Anybody with a pulse really.

He should be thinking of the likes of Danny Williams, Samil Sam etc.

stu do you think julius francis and keith long would actually be viable opponents? I think Audley will have leapfrogged that kind of standard by the time he gets home. i agree with shufford and botha though. beating skelton still wouldn't tell us much.

i really don't think danny will want to fight audley, after this latest farce pulling out against stiff packheiser. if they do meet, i have a feeling audley will annihilate danny in a contest more one sided than against samil-sam.

Depends on how long (no pun) he's out there for, his current opponents in the US haven't been any better than Francis or Long and basically I hope he's getting good sparring because his opponents have been almost as poor as what it was over here. Nix is an improvement, no doubt, but I'm not sure if Nix could beat Francis or Long - so in that respect we still haven't learned that much about Audley.

I do hope Audley does leapfrog the standard of Francis, but he's not doing so at the moment. And I don't know how long he intends staying in America - doesn't he only have 1 more fight after this, I thought he was going home after the New Year.

To quote Audley..

"I’ve had great sparring so far with former two-time World Title Challenger Vaughn Bean who I’m learning all the tricks from, along with ‘Wreckless’ Willie Chapman who has beaten hot prospects Malcolm Tann, T J Wilson and DaVarryl Williamson to name a few, he comes forward throwing all kind of shots; plus a few up and coming guys who are in the gym have also given me a few days sparring, this is most definitely the kind of work which will give me an advantage over my opponents in the ring."

So there you go...?

Sprint wrote:To quote Audley..

"I’ve had great sparring so far with former two-time World Title Challenger Vaughn Bean who I’m learning all the tricks from, along with ‘Wreckless’ Willie Chapman who has beaten hot prospects Malcolm Tann, T J Wilson and DaVarryl Williamson to name a few, he comes forward throwing all kind of shots; plus a few up and coming guys who are in the gym have also given me a few days sparring, this is most definitely the kind of work which will give me an advantage over my opponents in the ring."

So there you go...?

Thanks for that, decent sparring for Harrison. You have to watch Vaughn Bean. He can put anyone to sleep.

stujones wrote:

bennie wrote:
Harrison has the talent to win this one clearly on points. A stoppage win, would be an excellent result indeed.

Yeah I go along with this, Nix is probably Harrison best opponent so far - but there's still along way to go, and I'm afraid can no longer compare himself favourably to Lewis - who won the European title at this stage in his career.

Audrey will be lucky if he wins even the British title a the age Lewis is now

Sprint wrote:To quote Audley..

"I’ve had great sparring so far with former two-time World Title Challenger Vaughn Bean who I’m learning all the tricks from, along with ‘Wreckless’ Willie Chapman who has beaten hot prospects Malcolm Tann, T J Wilson and DaVarryl Williamson to name a few, he comes forward throwing all kind of shots; plus a few up and coming guys who are in the gym have also given me a few days sparring, this is most definitely the kind of work which will give me an advantage over my opponents in the ring."

So there you go...?

Thank you.

Audley who?