Boxing

 

No Test For Audley Harrison

03.10 - The latest instalment in the career of Britain's Olympic champion Audley Harrison takes place this Saturday night (October 5th), against America's Wade Lewis in Liverpool, England.

It will be professional bout number seven for Audley, who will be 31 next month and needs to increase the quality of opposition over the next 12-18 months if he is going to be taken seriously as a potential World heavyweight champion.

Unfortunately, this Saturday night, we are unable to learn anything new about Harrison, who is receiving a mixed reception when he is announced at shows, as the British public are becoming increasingly impatient with Harrison's lack of quality opposition. His insistence that he tops the bill, in six round bouts, means that he is under the spotlight even more so than he might have been anyway by being Britain's first Olympic boxing champion since Chris Finnegan in 1968.

He has been criticised for his lack of stamina and even power: it seems he is unable to punch his weight (usually around the 252lbs mark). Of his six victories, three have gone the full route, including his last two.

Mike Middleton, Audley's first professional foe was blown away in the opening round in May last year. He was unimpressive in his second outing against Briton Derek McCafferty, who took Harrison the full six rounds. Harrison was blowing hard for the last couple of rounds. Had McCafferty been more assertive and the fight lasted eight rounds, Harrison could have been on the wrong end of a shock defeat.

For me, Audley's most impressive showing was the two round knockout (body shots) of Piotr Jurczyk in his third bout nearly a year ago. This was followed in April this year with another second round stoppage of 7 feet 2 inches tall Julius Long.

It looked as though Harrison was beginning to sit down on his punches and get leverage, therefore adding power to his fluent southpaw skills. Looks were deceiving: in fight number five against unbeaten and fellow Brit Mark Krence, Audley was noticeably hurt at one stage and once again, the question of his stamina was brought up as he was blowing hard again as he struggled through another six rounds.

Easily the most entertaining fight of Audley's career was his last when he met British journeyman (and blown up cruiserweight) Dominic Negus. Negus was tough, though raw and ruffled up the Olympic champion, who floored Negus and the followed up while his opponent was still down. Negus rose and threw himself at Harrison, attempting a head butt that could well have seen him disqualified.

Dominic was sufficiently unimpressed with Audley's power, as he stated his mother could hit harder than the touted prospect!

In fairness, Harrison's progress has been slowed by injuries, but time is not on his side. A defeat on Saturday night is unthinkable if he is going to be the heir apparent to Lennox Lewis. With Danny Williams struggling somewhat against Keith Long two weeks ago, Britain is unlikely to feature at world level at heavyweight for some time if Harrison fails.

Audley's opponent, Wade Lewis, from Tuscaloosa, Alabama, brings a respectable enough statistical record of 11 wins and 3 defeats, two of which have been against same man, Raphael Pedro Garcia from Cuba. He is clearly a puncher of sorts, as 10 of these wins have been inside schedule and is
coming off a one round win over Lewis Gilbert in August, a man he had already defeated in October 2001.

A professional since February 2000, Wade, 32, won his first six fights, before losing for the first time to Garcia, in August last year on a four round decision.

He rebounded with four wins. The most recognisable name being journeyman Jeff Pegues, who was beaten on a 4th round stoppage in April this year. Pegues is best known as a notoriously "Chinny" loser: beaten by Orlin Norris and Monte Barrett in a round; two rounds in Ray Mercer's comeback fight and in three rounds by feather-fisted Chris Byrd.

In May this year, Lewis dropped another decision to Garcia and then suffered a devastating one round defeat against prospect Dominick Guinn. Guinn, though is a puncher, at least at Wade's level.

The facts are that Lewis has been boxing in some of the fight game's backwaters like Alabama and Mississippi and has been found wanting when stepping up in class. Although he appears to have the proverbial punchers chance, Harrison is too well schooled and skilled to allow himself to be tagged by Lewis.

As stated, Harrison cannot afford a slip up and that is highly unlikely against the Wade Lewis' of this world. Audley may not get the job done as quickly as Guinn, but I feel will force the referee to intervene in round four.

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