By Sean McDaniel: In looking at Audley Harrison’s sensational 12th round knockout victory over Michael Sprott on Friday night, you can’t help wonder whether Harrison would be able to accomplish the same feat against World Boxing Association heavyweight champion David Haye if he had been in the ring with Harrison instead of the lighter hitting Sprott. Granted, Harrison would have had major problems if he had lost the use of his right hand early in a fight with the big punching Haye. That alone might have been enough to doom Harrison’s chances of winning the fight.

However, you would like to think that Harrison would have fought the 29-year-old Haye in a much different manner than he did against Sprott. Because of Haye’s big power and the kind of shots he would be throwing at Harrison, Audley would have to literally fight for his life from round one if he were to want to pull out the victory. Of course, if Haye fought as timidly as he did against former WBA heavyweight champion Nikolay Valuev, then Harrison would have a much better chance of beating Haye because he wouldn’t have to worry about him coming right at him trying to take Harrison’s head off. But at 6’4 ½”, with a reach of 86 inches, Harrison would have a big advantage against the 6’3” Haye with his limited reach of 78 inches.

Harrison would most probably be able to keep Haye at arm’s length for vast stretches of the fight without having to worry about his power shots. But sooner or a later, Haye would get his confidence up and would go after Harrison with his trade mark haymaker shots. Harrison would be severely tested by Haye if he was able to land with any regularity. This is why Harrison would have to fight all out from the 1st round on throwing massive left hands if he was to have a chance at beating Haye.

I think Harrison would have a decent chance if he fought with a sense that his career could be on the line. Harrison has massive talent and huge power when he stops showing fear and starts fighting with self believe. It’s almost as if he Harrison can’t fight really well unless he’s forgetting himself and just fighting on instinct.

Haye would give Harrison no choice but to fight for his life because Haye would probably be looking to take Harrison out with one big punch from the very start of the fight. It might not be as easy for Haye as it was in beating the 38-year-old, 6’2” John Ruiz last week because Harrison has a much bigger size, longer reach and better power than Ruiz. If Harrison were to catch Haye with the left hand that he took Sprott out with on Friday night, I have no doubts that Haye would end up flat on his back counting stars.

I think Haye’s chin is no better than Sprott’s. Haye has the better power but his chin is rather ordinary to say the least. Harrison would have a puncher’s chance of beating Haye and could end things at any time in a fight with him. I don’t think that Harrison could beat Haye by a decision, because Haye would likely land enough big shots to win most of the rounds. However, Harrison would have that one big equalizer left hand that could finish matters at any time with Haye.

For that reason, I think Haye would be in dangerous waters in a fight against Harrison and would have to tread lightly the entire time instead going after him like Sprott foolishly did. This win over Sprott is going to do a lot of good for Harrison’s confidence and that seems to be the missing ingredient for him. Harrison seems to be still learning as a fighter and finding out how good he can be when he fights aggressively. An aggressive Harrison would be a dangerous fighter for Haye to have to deal with.