Danny Williams´s Abandoned Mission

By David O'Swan

03.02 - British and commonwealth heavyweight champion, Danny Williams, seems to have finally given up his quest of meeting Audley Harrison - or world champ Lennox Lewis - claiming Harrison was too scared to fight him, after he beat him up during a sparring session three years ago.

Williams, the 29-year-old from Brixton, London, who is preparing for his challenge against the defending champion Sinan Samil Sam, for the European title in Berlin next Saturday, said: "I'll never meet either of them in the ring. Despite all his noises, Audley doesn't want to put up against me since I gave him a beating in a spar. We did four rounds. He wanted to quit after just two. My trainer had to beg him to stay to do another couple. Afterwards, he said it was the best work-out he'd ever had and he'd be back for more on the Monday - I'm still waiting."

Williams' pursuit of Harrison has been ongoing for some months now - he even offered to fight the Olympic champion in a staged charity match-up - with Williams' prized Lonsdale belt as the purse - a proposal readily dismissed by Harrison's management.

Williams also vented his frustrations at WBC king Lennox Lewis claiming "Lennox was the carrot dangled in front of me, so I would join his company, Lion Promotions and somewhere down the line we would get it on -but it never happened.

"I never banked on it, and I believe Mike Tyson is the only opponent Lennox is interested in because of the money. If he was concerned about adding to his reputation he'd have gone ahead with the fight against Vitali Klitschko in April, and later took on his brother Wladimir. I suppose he'll be stripped of his title now, but that won't worry Lewis. Everybody knows he'll beat Tyson again."

The British number two, is conscious his attempt at taking Sam's title away in the Turk's own back-yard, means he will be on unfriendly ground come Saturday night, saying: " I'll end up taking the back-lash for Lennox.

"The Klitschkos are based in Germany and it will be hostile in Berlin. I'll only have 10 or 20 people supporting me but it doesn't frighten me. I perform better in that sort of environment.

That said, if Williams is to progress to that of serious world title contender, then he must overcome the 28-year-old German - born Turk, who boasts a 16-0 record.

Sam, at 24 was also the first Turkish boxer to win a world championship gold medal, after he claimed the super-heavyweight title when it was held in Houston, USA back in 1999. Bearing this in mind, should Williams overwhelm the champion, it would greatly increase the power of the spotlight on him, stateside -Williams endorsed this by saying: "I'll emulate Lennox by becoming the first British heavy since him to hold the, European, commonwealth and British championship's simultaneously.

"Then, I'll go to Tim Witherspoon's gym, where there are 30 heavyweights. You can learn against top men without putting your record on the line."

The talented Londoner, is sure this is his time, adding : "I'm determined this is going to be my year, where I'll give it my all and make sacrifices to get in the world title mix by meeting top-line Americans.

"It will mean neglecting my family, but they understand it has to be done. The top heavyweights in the world are all beatable. There are great opportunities for me."

Williams will continue to push towards a world title, whilst rival, Harrison needs a title of note, and soon, if he is to emulate his fellow Brits ambitions, with the more experienced Williams adding : Audley is just waiting for me to vacate the British title and he will go for it after that.

"The only way he will pluck up courage to face me is if I lose -and I have no intentions of doing that."

William's is a class-act, and I expect him to have too much saavy for the less-experienced champion with a one-sided points victory for the Englishman.