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In our latest instalment of The Long Game series, Cameron Osborn looks at one boxer in particular – Audley Harrison – whose career never quite lived up to its early promise.

Professional boxing is an unforgiving sport, both inside and out of the ring. Boxers repeatedly lay their bodies on the line, and fans come to expect a great deal from them. Being held to such high standards is only magnified by the show of early promise.

However, the route to the top is by no means an easy one, and plenty of budding professionals have fallen by the wayside on their journey to a possible world title. This can be because of injuries, problems outside the ring or often simply not being good enough to compete at the highest level.

“BRITISH BOXING FANS PLACE A GREAT DEAL OF PRESSURE ON SUCCESSFUL BRITISH AMATEURS”

One of the most common routes to the elite professional ranks is to transition from the amateur circuit. Many Olympic medallists have gone on to become dominant champions amongst the professionals – Muhammad Ali, Lennox Lewis, Claressa Shields, Vasyl Lomachenko and Anthony Joshua to name a few.

But British boxing fans place a great deal of pressure on successful British amateur boxers when they turn professional, and while there are plenty of success stories, there are also those that failed to emulate their amateur achievements.

Audley’s Story

When London heavyweight Audley Harrison won gold in the Sydney Olympics in 2000, he was already the British and Commonwealth super heavyweight champion. He stood at over six foot five inches tall and commanded an imposing physique, and his Olympic triumph in Australia after an already prolific amateur career generated a lot of excitement back in the UK.

He turned professional within a year and by 2005, after 19 wins from as many fights, he was being tipped to emulate the achievements of Lennox Lewis, who had recently retired after a stellar career. Like 1988 Olympic champion Lewis, Harrison was tall, strong and had a remarkable reach of seven foot two inches. Progress had been slowed along the way by injury – one straight after his professional debut and one in 2004 that put Harrison out of action for almost a year – but he remained undefeated and confident of a future world title shot.

He turned professional within a year and by 2005, after 19 wins from as many fights, he was being tipped to emulate the achievements of Lennox Lewis, who had recently retired after a stellar career. Like 1988 Olympic champion Lewis, Harrison was tall, strong and had a remarkable reach of seven foot two inches. Progress had been slowed along the way by injury – one straight after his professional debut and one in 2004 that put Harrison out of action for almost a year – but he remained undefeated and confident of a future world title shot.

Cracks began to show in 2005, when Harrison took on a fight against British heavyweight rival Danny Williams at only five weeks’ notice and lost a closely fought split decision, his first professional defeat. The disappointment was compounded by a surprise loss to American Dominick Guinn in Harrison’s next fight. A comprehensive third round knockout defeat at the hands of European Champion Michael Sprott three fights later threw Harrison’s whole career into doubt. After another injury lay-off and two underwhelming victories, disaster struck for Harrison when he was outpointed by taxi driver Martin Rogan.

While Harrison maintained that a world title fight was still possible after the Rogan fight, it was becoming increasingly apparent that while injuries and setbacks had played their part, Harrison may have simply found his level outside the upper echelons of the heavyweight division. After the Sprott defeat, Frank Warren – Harrison’s own promoter at the time – was pessimistic about his prospects. Despite all the early expectation surrounding Harrison’s career trajectory, he had ultimately fallen well short of the lofty standards set by the likes of Vitaly and Wladimir Klitschko.

“HARRISON’S SUCCESSFUL CAREER WAS CHARACTERISED BY AN OVERWHELMING DISAPPOINTMENT TO LIVE UP TO AN ULTIMATELY IMAGINED POTENTIAL.”

After avenging his defeat to Sprott and having surgery on a torn pectoral, Harrison finally secured a world title fight against fellow Briton and WBA champion David Haye. However, Harrison was utterly routed, landing only a single punch across almost eight minutes of boxing en route to a third-round stoppage loss.

A long spell outside the ring followed, including participation on Strictly Come Dancing. Upon his return, his late career was punctuated by two devastating first round knockout defeats to David Price and future world champion Deontay Wilder. Following his loss to knockout artist Wilder, who needed only 70 seconds, Harrison took another year to formally retire.

While compared to many professional boxers Audley Harrison enjoyed a very successful career, it was one characterised by an overwhelming disappointment to live up to a potential that was, ultimately, only imagined. He did not evolve into the dominant champion he was expected to become, and for this he endured scathing criticism, especially after his dismal showing against David Haye. Pinned back by injury, mishap and principally by an inability to match the lofty standards being set by the likes of Wladimir and Vitali Klitschko, Audley Harrison’s story remains one of a failure to live up to the fans’ imagination, and for this he will always stand as one of boxing’s fallen prodigies.

Header image: Mariodpl