by James Slater – The internet pages and those of the press in general have never been so alive with news of heavyweight Audley Harrison! Not since “A-Force” won his Olympic gold medal way back in 2000, anyway. Ever since his thrilling, come from behind KO of Michael Sprott in which a virtually one-handed Harrison snatched the vacant European title, members of the media been talking about and interviewing the 38-year-old southpaw..
Most recently, Harrison gave an interview with Sky Sports News, and the new European heavyweight ruler spoke once again of his intentions of getting either David Haye or one of the two Klitschkos into the ring so he can finally make good with his “Yes I Can” prediction of becoming a legitimate world champion.
After he has allowed his torn right pectoral muscle to heal, Harrison plans to be back in the ring in September. Alexander Dimitrenko is Harrison’s mandatory challenger, Euro title-wise, and the former Olympian has spoken about taking this fight. However, Harrison’s ultimate goal is a world title shot – and “A-Force” feels he has the beating of David Haye and that is it his “destiny” to meet the current WBA champ.
“David Haye doesn’t want to fight me,” Harrison said to Sky Sports News. “I’ve sparred many rounds with Haye. David is a big puncher but is open to getting knocked out. The history of British heavyweight boxing shows that the two heavyweights always collide at some point. Destiny is going to make me and David Haye fight.”
The way things are right now in the muddled heavyweight division – with Ring magazine, IBF and WBO king Wladimir Klitschko unconvinced Haye will accept his recent video challenge of him, and with WBC ruler Vitali Klitschko busy with his May fight with Albert Sosnowski – it’s entirely possible Haye will accept Harrison’s challenge and fight him later this year. Sure, Adam Booth, Haye’s manager and trainer, said Audley is “not on Haye’s radar,” but if Haye doesn’t face a Klitschko next, who else could it be? Certainly, as badly as many fans would no doubt knock a Haye-Harrison clash, this match-up would be a whole lot better than Haye-Nikolai Valuev II.
Still, Harrison is also hopeful it will be he who gets a date with one of the Klitschkos – and wouldn’t that be a strange turn of events; if it were Harrison, and not Haye, who got a date with a Klitschko next!
“Alexander Dimitrenko is the [European] number-one contender so I have to fight him,” Harrison said. “If I beat him, and I plan to, then I will be ranked in the top-ten by all of the organisations. I am one fight away from a legitimate world title challenge.
“Or, if the Klitschkos come calling straight away – because they are desperate for challengers ranked in the top-ten – then obviously I’d jump at the chance. I’m either one fight, or no fights, away from fighting for a world title.”
As crazy as it may seem to some, Harrison is spot on with what he says. And even though most experts would not pick him to beat either Haye or one of the two Klitschkos, Harrison could get his chance this year. Talk about a comeback!