By William Mackay: Audley Harrison (26-4, 19 KO’s) has a do or die fight this Friday night against Michael Sprott (32-14, 17 KO’s) for the vacant EBU heavyweight title at the Alexandria Palace, in Wood Green, London. Harrison, now 38, can’t afford to lose to Sprott if he wants to stay relevant in the heavyweight division. Harrison has already been beaten before by Sprott by a 3rd round knockout in 2007, and needs a win over him to keep moving forward for his goal of facing IBF/WBO heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko.
Harrison also wants to fight World Boxing Association heavyweight champion David Haye. In an article at Sky Sport News, Harrison had this to say about Haye: “He’s [Haye] done what he had to do, He’s explosive as David always is; He’s exciting. I’m sure the Klitschkos and the Arreola of the world will see things that they feel they could exploit, like I could see. But, for what he’s [Haye] doing, it’s good for British boxing. You can’t deny it. It’s good for British boxing. It’s good for the heavyweight division. Long may it continue; He’s keeping it warm; He’s keeping it warm.”
It may not continue for long if Haye opts to fight Wladimir Klitschko next instead of take a rematch with former WBA heavyweight champion Nikolay Valuev or face 45-year-old Bernard Hopkins. Haye still hasn’t taken on any of the more dangerous fighters in the heavyweight division like Chris Arreola, Odlanier Solis, Alexander Povetkin, Samuel Peter and Denis Boytsov. Haye’s path to the heavyweight title was paved with a fight against 38-year-old Monte Barrett, and following that one fight at heavyweight, aside from Haye’s one other fight against Tomasz Bonin which took place while Haye was still fighting as a cruiserweight, Haye was given a title shot against the 36-year-old Valuev.
Most boxing experts felt that Valuev was by far the weakest of the three heavyweight champions. The other two heavyweight title holders are Vitali Klitschko and his younger brother Wladimir Klitschko. Haye had a chance to fight both of them last year, but pulled out of both fights and then selected Valuev. In Haye’s first defense of his WBA heavyweight title, he fought 38-year-old John Ruiz and stopped him in the 9th round.
Haye looked wide open defensively against Ruiz, and looked tired after the 1st round. Haye threw a lot of lunging shots that left himself wide open. He also had a bad habit of keeping his left guard down by his sides. These are flaws that the Klitschko brothers and the big 6’5” Harrison would likely exploit if they were to fight Haye.
Harrison probably won’t be getting a shot against either Haye or the Klitschko brothers unless he puts his career into overdrive and starts fighting and beating top contenders in the heavyweight division one after another in quick fashion. Sprott is a good start, but Harrison has to fight better fighters than this and be quick about it. He’s 38, and his time is running rapidly out.
Harrison likely will be too late to land a fight with Haye before he gets beaten by one of the Klitschko brothers this year or in 2011. Haye will still remain a popular fighter, none the less, but not as popular as now if he gets beaten really badly by the Klitschko brothers.
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