Audley Speaks: Anthony Joshua, David Haye

09/17/2015 Audley Harrison

Welcome to a brand new #AudleySpeaks post. I have recently signed with new agents and I am very excited to join the ‘Champions Celebrity’ family championscelebrity.com.

We will soon roll out a brand new website www.audleyharrison.com and every few weeks, on a Thursday, I will pass comment on the latest views and news in boxing, sport and current affairs.

No subject will be off limits…if I’m passionate about a subject, expect to see my thoughts here. I want to see your comments and views, share my page and let’s get talking … use the hashtag #AudeySpeaks when commenting please..

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Frank Warren: ‘Andy Lee/Billy Joe Saunders WILL Happen Before Year’s End’

09/17/201509/17/2015 Olly Campbell

After a string of bad luck surrounding Andy Lee’s WBO 160 lb title defence against mandatory challenger Billy Joe Saunders – including two separate postponements – veteran British promoter Frank Warren has spoken out to insist that, all being well, the fight WILL happen before the end of this year.

Many theories abounded as to why the fight moved from the original September date and venue – Thomond Park in Limerick – although the official line is as a result of a virus suffered by the champion, meaning the fight was then set to top the bumper October 10 ‘World War 3’ card from Manchester, that also includes WBO lightweight champ, Terry Flanagan and Liverpool’s Liam Smith in separate world title bouts.

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Lucas Matthysse: Expecting Fireworks vs Viktor Postol in October

09/16/201509/16/2015 Olly Campbell

When he fights unbeaten Ukrainian Viktor Postol (27-0, 11 ko) for the vacant WBC 140 lb title in California on October 3rd, Argentina’s Lucas Matthysse (37-3, 34 ko) is once again promising action, something the big-hitting “Machine” has a tendency to deliver in spades.

Coming off of April’s FOTY candidate with Ruslan Provodnikov, in which Matthysse won a highly entertaining MD (115-113 x2), this opportunity to fight for the strap recently vacated by Danny Garcia is one that the knockout artist intends to grab with both hands, although realises that the awkward Ukrainian fighter – who possesses a 4 1/2″ height advantage, will be no walk-over, pushing him to prepare accordingly.

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Hughie Fury v Nicolai Firtha on Wladimir Klitschko/Tyson Fury Undercard

09/16/201509/16/2015 Olly Campbell

When Tyson Fury challenges dominant lineal heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko on October 24th in Germany, his 20 year old cousin Hughie (16-0, 8ko) will be on the undercard, boxing a former opponent of Tyson’s – American, Nicolai Firtha (21-11-1, 8ko).

Tyson boxed Firtha back in 2011, when he too was a heavyweight prospect (15-0), knocking the American out in 5 rounds, and there will be inevitable comparison’s when Hughie fights the Ohio native – albeit on a far bigger and grander stage than King’s Hall in Belfast, where Firtha’s first fight with a Fury took place.

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Kevin Mitchell: Hoping to Work Toward 4th World Title Tilt / Returns on December 12th in London

09/16/201509/16/2015 Olly Campbell

George Groves isn’t going to be the only British fighter hoping that 4th time’s a charm in world title tilts, as Dagenham’s Kevin Mitchell – set to return on December 12th against a TBA opponent – is also looking to work his way back into a similar position.

Mitchell was on the losing end of a heroic effort back in May, in a WBC 135 lb title challenge against Venezuelan champion Jorge Linares, dropping “El Nino” in the 5th round of an action packed fight, before incurring a grotesque eye injury (pictured) that impeded his vision, hitting the deck himself in the 10th and being waved off as he rose to his feet, the life drained out of him.

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Arthur Abraham Back Out on Nov 21 / ‘Plenty More Knockouts to Come’

09/16/201509/16/2015 Olly Campbell

Germany’s WBO super middleweight champion Arthur Abraham will return to the ring on November 21st in Hannover, Germany against a TBA opponent, insisting that at 35 years old, there is still plenty more to come in terms of action.

Abraham last beat countryman and former champion Robert Stieglitz in June, in what was the pair’s fourth meeting, knocking out his rival in 6 rounds to take the series 3-1, putting a full stop on their 3 1/2 year fight saga. After fracturing his jaw in that fight, Abraham claims he’s now fit and keen to move on.

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‘Tick Tock Adonis, 50/50 on HBO PPV Sounding Generous’ say Duva and Main Events

09/16/201509/15/2015 Olly Campbell

After last Friday’s maligned Adonis Stevenson v Tommy Karency PBC on Spike fight from Toronto pulled in a series average of 581k viewers, Main Events boss Kathy Duva – promoter of WBA/WBO and IBF light heavyweight champion Sergey Kovalev, has again asked Stevenson to consider coming to Kovalev’s broadcaster HBO for their heavily demanded unification fight.

Kovalev is tied exclusively to the broadcasting giant, and that is proving – technically at least – the sticking point in putting together the fight, which Duva and Kovalev have stated they are willing to travel to Canada for, as well as give Adonis 50/50 in terms of the purse split.

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Tragedy for Boxing: Australian Super Featherweight David Browne Jr Loses Fight for Life

09/16/201509/15/2015 Olly Campbell

Australian super-featherweight, David Browne Jr, injured in a regional title fight in Ingleburn, NSW, last Friday evening, has tragically lost his fight for life after his family made the agonizing decision to turn off his life support machine on Tuesday.

Browne, 28, was knocked down by Filipino, Carlo Magali 30 seconds into the 12th and final round, and was initially treated by a doctor ringside, regaining consciousness before being taken to hospital in critical condition where he then slipped into a coma.

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Daniel Jacobs/Peter Quillin Title Clash Confirmed for December

09/16/201509/15/2015 Olly Campbell

The long mooted clash between WBA (reg) 160 lb champion Daniel Jacobs and unbeaten fellow New Yorker, Peter Quillin, is finally looking set for December when the two will meet in a ‘Battle of Brooklyn,’ to determine the borough’s top dog at middleweight.

Promoter Lou DiBella has told ESPN.com he is looking at December 5th as the provisional date for the clash and has the Barclays Centre on hold as contracts and other minutiae are ironed out between the Al Haymon advised fighters, yet while this date admittedly isn’t concrete just yet, he insists the fight most definitely is.

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James DeGale on George Groves: “It’s Funny How Things Work Out”

09/16/201509/15/2015 Olly Campbell

As rumours abounded on social media that George Groves may announce retirement following last Saturday’s world title challenge loss to Badou Jack, bitter rival James DeGale seems to believe it karma, saying openly it’s “funny how things work out.”

As Groves deleted his social media accounts in the wake of his Las Vegas disappointment, the 2008 Olympic gold medalist spoke to Sky’s Ringside Reaction online show, to reflect on how when his own career ‘hit the skids’ under promoter Mick Hennessy, leaving ‘Chunky’ boxing in shopping malls against less than stellar opposition, Groves was one of the first to openly mock him.

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