Audley Harrison brings out the big artillary to stop Sprott in the 12th
April 10th, 2010
By Jim Dower: Heavyweight Audley Harrison (27-4, 20 KO’s) is proving to be a clutch performer as he came from behind and stopped Michael Sprott (32-15, 17 KO’s) in the 12th round on Friday night to win the vacant EBU heavyweight title at the Alexandra Palace, Wood Green, London. It was a fight in which the 38-year-old Harrison trailed badly on all three judges’ cards going into the final round and needed a knockout else to win.
Incredibly, Harrison turned Sprott around where Sprott was the one that had his back against the ropes, and then Harrison measured Sprott and then hit him with a hard left hook to the head that sent Sprott down on his back. The fight was stopped by referee Dave Parris at 1:05 of the 12th round. What made the victory even more meaningful was that Harrison had fought with pretty much only his left hand from the 5th round until the end of the fight in the 12th.
Harrison said after the fight that he had injured his right shoulder in the 2nd round. However, Harrison was able to continue using his right arm until the 5th, when he started using only his left hand to do damage. It was clear to all that Harrison had injured his right arm, because he turned his fighting stance from southpaw to orthodox and threw a lot of jabs and weird looking left hooks from that stance.
Harrison looked very uncomfortable fighting from the orthodox stance and appeared uncoordinated at times, showing that he hasn’t worked on this too much in the past. Sprott was able to really capitalize on Harrison having only one good hand by hammering him with hard right hands and combinations over Harrison’s left guard. Audley looked completely lost in how to defend in fighting out of the orthodox stance and took a lot of heavy shots to the head.
As the rounds went by, Harrison fell farther and farther behind in the fight to the point where he needed a knockout or at least multiple knockdowns in the last three rounds to win the fight. Starting in the 9th, Sprott started showing signs of tiring. This allowed Harrison to start landing some nice left hands, particularly uppercuts to the head of Sprott.
With the fight looking bad for Harrison, he seemed to put his offense into another gear, as he started throwing harder left hands. Not being able to use his right was a really crippling thing for Harrison, though, because it seemed to throw off his offense and limit what he could do. Never the less, in the 12th round, Harrison was fighting for his career, showing good poise during Sprott’s early attack in the round.
The left hand that Harrison landed to knock Sprott out was a thing of beauty. It was thrown with huge power and perfect timing and reminded me of a shot from Lennox Lewis. If Harrison had thrown a shot with that much power earlier in the fight, he would have likely had Sprott out much sooner. Harrison can punch when he wants to but seems to need have his back against the wall to really fight with the kind of intensity that he needs.
Tags: 10 Responses to “Audley Harrison brings out the big artillary to stop Sprott in the 12th”
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Luckiest punch ever! Hope he fights haye so I can have a good laugh when he gets flattened
@ Black Panther – How do you assume everyone on the forum is a white punk? The debate here is boxing and not race. I am white and I think the best boxer on the planet is Floyd Mayweather Jnr, who is black, am I still a white punk?. Lets not stray from the fact of why we’re here and what we’re discussing – Boxing.
On last nights fight, after fighting for most of the fight with one hand, Audley deserves the full respect of everyone, but for me he will never win a World title cos he lacks the most important thing in any fighter, which is true heart and the willingnes to put everything on the line to achieve what he’s constantly been saying since he turned pro, “by this fight i’ll be British champ, then by this fight I’ll be European champ, then after “x” fights I’ll be Undisputed Heavyweight Champion of the World”, his words, not mine. If they gave out titles for talking, he’d be number 1. Anyway, the guy has ability which is clear, and he has the right size and physique and he certainly talks a cracking fight, but too many times he failed to deliver, against sub standard fighters, Yes, he’s pulled out a masterstroke by winning the Prizefighter tournament, then the European belt, but he isn’t the best Heavyweight in Britain, David Haye excluded. Derek Chisora, John McDermott, Tyson Fury, Sam Sexton, they’d all give Audley a test. I would fancy Audley to beat all these guys if he brought his A-game to the ring, the chances are though he’d probably be too afraid to throw his punches because he’d be too busy thinking about what might come back. If him and Haye ever fought, Haye would knock him out in 1 round, no question.
Black panther keep your rascist crap to yourself, your sad and stigmatic. Open your eyes and dont judge, you remind me of my ex (who was black) rascist as you can get thats why i finished with her. Rascism can swing in many ways. I was happy for Harrison , so dont come on here and find excuses to spit your rascism.
respect this…n|ggaz
Adam
he could not beat martin rogan
Audley did show some desire and did well considering he only had his left hand for the majority of the fight but I don’t see him becoming any sort of a threat to the Klitchko brothers or David Haye especially at 38 years old and the sad thing is that there is talent there but I think he will be remembered as wasted talent that should have been champion but never was.
a 38 year old washed out bum who had a lucky Hasim Rahman moment – and thats the truth
Ever since he came back and took part in the prizefighter I have become a Harrison fan! I really hope he wins a world title, if he caught Wlad with his left it is lights out.
I cant see him getting a world title shot unless Haye gives him one.
@ at adam are you DUMB!!
audley next heavy weight champ better then the k bros and haye