By Scott Gilfoid: Amir Khan likes the choice of Audley Harrison for his close friend WBA heavyweight champion David Haye (24-1, 22 KO’s), and sees their fight this Saturday as an excellent tune-up bout for Haye to get him ready to fight one of the Klitschko brothers next year. Khan even thinks that Harrison fights like the Klitschko brothers, which seems a little silly given that the Klitschko brothers don’t really throw uppercuts, use a lot of hooks and straight rights and have a much better jab than the 39-year-old Harrison.
It’s like comparing apples and oranges. You have to wonder whether Khan has ever seen the Klitschkos fight before because comparing them to Harrison is one of the silliest things I’ve ever before. The comparison you can make between them is that they’ll all about the same height, and two of them – Wladimir and Harrison – have won Olympic Gold Medals. But that’s where the similarities end.
In an article at thesun.co.uk, Khan said “Harrison won an Olympic Gold Medal, which is not easy, but I just don’t think he ever really adapted to being a professional. This is his big chance and in the heavyweight boxing one punch can change everything. But I think Haye will go in there with his explosive style and try to get him out of there early. Haye needed an opponent and I think Harrison is good for him because he should be perfect preparation for the Klitschkos.”
Wrong! Harrison is the perfect preparation for fighting other British fighters like Sam Sexton and Derek Chisora, but not any kind of prepartion for the Klitschko brothers. If Haye wanted to fight someone with a style somewhat similar to the Klitschko brothers, he should have selected heavyweight contender Alexander Dimitrenko. At least Dimitrenko, 6’7″, has a style similar to the brothers, if not their power and ability. Harrison is more of a stand-up European fighter in the mold of Carl Froch and Sexton. He’s nothing like the klitschko brothers.
Khan says “Harrison’s got a similar style to them with the long jab and everything – the only real difference is he’s a southpaw. I think it will be a good tune-up fight for Haye to work towards facing one of the Klitschkos.” Boy, I hope Khan doesn’t try and become a trainer after he retires someday because he must be blind if he thinks Harrison and the Klitschko brothers fight in a similar way. They couldn’t be anymore different if they tried. I don’t see this fight helping Haye, other than helping him keep from getting knocked out by him choosing another easy mark to fight.
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