Audley Harrison

Audley Hugh Harrison, (born 26 October 1971) is a British former professional boxer who competed from 2001 to 2013.

Boxing out of Repton Amateur Boxing Club in Bethnal Green, London, Harrison became British super heavyweight champion in 1997, defeating Nick Kendall in the final.

He retained the title in 1998, defeating Dean Redmond, and won gold at the 1998 Commonwealth Games beating Michael Macquae of Mauritius in the final.

As an amateur he represented Great Britain at the 2000 Olympics, winning a gold medal in the super-heavyweight division and becoming the first ever British boxer to win Olympic gold in that division.

Harrison turned professional the following year after signing a contract with BBC Sport, and went on to have seventeen fights on the network before their cancellation of all boxing broadcasts.

In his professional career he challenged for the WBA, British, and Commonwealth heavyweight titles.

In 2000 he won gold at the Sydney Olympics by defeating Mukhtarkhan Dildabekov of Kazakhstan on points.

After his medal win, Harrison was awarded an MBE.

In 2001, Harrison released his autobiography Realising the Dream and set up his own company, A Force Promotions, to manage his career and concluded several high-profile sponsorships deals and became the first boxer in Britain to sign a direct broadcast deal.

He signed a £1 million deal with the BBC to show his first ten professional fights.

His debut was against US club fighter Michael Middleton, whom Harrison knocked out in the first round in Wembley Arena with 6 million viewers watching at home.

He was then out of action for several months with an injury, but by the end of the year outpointed Briton Derek McCafferty over six rounds.

Harrison continued to win and made his United States debut in November 2002, knocking out Shawn Robinson in the 1st round.

In February 2003 he beat US fighter Rob Calloway in four rounds, and outpointed Ratko Draskovic over eight rounds.

Harrison then knocked out Matt Ellis in two rounds.

Harrison then tried to arrange a fight with 41-year-old ex-World champion Frank Bruno, who had been retired for seven years.

A dispute at York Hall, Bethnal Green with the Herbie Hide after the Ellis fight resulted in a riot.

The proposed Frank Bruno fight collapsed shortly afterwards, when Bruno was sectioned under the Mental Health Act.

Harrison and Hide were both penalised by the British Boxing Board of Control for the riot.

Following the Ellis riot, Harrison relocated to the USA where he was unbeaten in 11 fights, with 8 knockouts.

In the 2003 November issue of the Ring Magazine, Harrison was tipped to emulate Lennox Lewis and become a dominant world champion.

He had three more fights in 2003, against Lisandro Diaz (KO4), Quinn Navarre (KO3), and Brian Nix (KO3), in America.

Harrison was sparring regularly with experienced world class Heavyweights like Vaughn Bean.

Harrison returned to the UK in 2004, but instead of fighting new British champion Michael Sprott for the British title, he fought unbeaten Dutch fighter Richel Hersisia for the World Boxing Foundation (WBFo) World belt.

He knocked out Hersisia in 4 rounds.

Harrison's contract was not renewed in 2004 and the BBC stopped broadcasting professional boxing.

Harrison returned to the ring in June 2005, knocking out Robert Davis (KO7) and Robert Wiggins (KO4).

On The Best Damn Sports Show Period he said he was now ready to step up and face world class opponents and get a title shot.

Harrison returned to the UK in December to face long-time bitter rival Danny Williams in London for the Commonwealth title.

Harrison stepped in after Matt Skelton had pulled out and took the bout on five weeks notice.

Harrison lost a close, split decision.

In April 2006, Harrison fought in the US against Dominick Guinn and again lost on points.

Harrison put the defeat down to loss of confidence from his defeat to Williams and insisted he would bounce back.

In June, he scored a three-round knockout of Andrew Greeley in an off-TV fight in America, and was poised for a fight with Matt Skelton to try to resurrect his career.

Skelton had beaten Danny Williams in July, winning the title Williams had earlier taken from Harrison.

In 2009, Harrison won the Prizefighter tournament, his first of two.

He became the European heavyweight champion in 2010, after defeating Michael Sprott in a rematch of their 2007 bout.

He defended the title twice: a 12-round points win over late-sub Julius Francis, and a 9th-round TKO of unbeaten Tomasz Bonin.

After suffering a serious ligament tear in his left hand requiring hand surgery in New York, Harrison did not fight for almost a year.

In 2013, Harrison won his second Prizefighter tournament, becoming the first boxer to do so.