Will Audley Finally Step Up?

Reports have surfaced concerning former Olympic Gold Medal hero Audley Harrison facing Commonwealth Heavyweight Champion Matt Skelton on 9 December in London, England. While the bout has yet to be officially declared, that is expected to come at a press conference tomorrow in the British capital, it's a matchup that offers much food for thought.

In a bout against Skelton, Audley Harrison, 20-2 (15), will certainly have the advantage in height, reach and boxing skills just as certainly as Matt Skelton will have the edge in the heart and desire department against the towering southpaw.

At first glance, this appears to be a complete mismatch. Skelton, 20-1 (18), is the most willful fighter to enter a British ring since the professional debut of Ricky Hatton nine years ago while Harrison is the very definition of reluctant warrior.

But will Audley finally realize his true potential in what is clearly his last top level opportunity where anyone still gives a damn about his career? Will the sharply skilled southpaw finally pull the trigger and make the aggressive brawler Skelton pay dearly for every inch of canvas he advances upon? Because that's what it would take for Harrison to defeat Skelton.

The usual Audley method of moving, covering up and hardly throwing until the last round would have disastrous consequences against Skelton, a man who has built his career on forcing opponents to fight or fall under his lumbering attack.

If Harrison just shows up just to survive for twelve rounds, he will lose the bout and career-wise, have nowhere to go. If he engages Skelton, he'll have to get to Matt's chin before Matt gets to his and that could be a real entertaining battle for as long as it lasts.

Let's hope Audley Harrison fights Matt Skelton like a man who is facing the brink of oblivion.
If he does, he just may find that he has a future in the heavyweight division after all.

Click to read more boxing articles by Ricky Jones

Discuss in Boxing Forum

---

Related Boxing Articles...

• Boxing Info: Team Gammer Sticks To Guns Over Audley Harrison Rejection

  British Heavyweight Champion Scott Gammer's promoter/manager Paul Boyce confirms that he has rejected the overtures of Audley Harrison's new promoter Sports Network and turned down an offer to meet "A-Force" >
  
  

• British Boxing: Think Before You Speak

  "Danny's an underachiever. Whenever the time has come for him to step up and show what he's got he has failed." - Audley Harrison, November 15th 2005 How quickly things >
  
  

• Boxing Info: Danny Williams Vs Audley Harrison

  WILLIAMS: AUDLEY VICTORY WILL BE SWEETER THAN TYSON WIN Danny Williams reckons beating up Audley Harrison will be sweeter than knocking-out Mike Tyson. The Brixton puncher takes on Harrison at >
  
  

• Matchroom Boxing: Hearn Backing Harrison For World Title Chance

  Barry Hearn believes Prizefighter Heavyweights III winner Audley Harrison could have a shot at a world title before 2011. Hearn, who promoted Friday’s Prizefighter event, thinks Harrison, 37, is finally >
  
  

• Audley Harrison’s Moment of Truth

  

  At 33 years of age, Audley Harrison is finally on the fast track to becoming a heavyweight contender with >
  
  

• Boxing Perspective: Audley Harrison - “A Force” Or “A Farce”?

  

  © Lawrence Lustig The latest edition of Prizefighter, Heavyweights III, was highly entertaining with well-known fighters in the equation of Audley Harrison, Danny Williams and Scott Gammer. The tournament had decent >
  
  

• Boxing Preview: The Return Of Audley Harrison

  Big Brit on Duva Boxing's Exciting Minto - Batchelder Card Tonight In Atlantic City! Surprisingly, one of British professional boxing's biggest disappointments, Audley Harrison, returns to the ring just two >
  
  

• Boxing Profile: Audley Harrison

  A year on from Audley Harrison's first professional defeat against Danny Williams, the 2000 Olympic Super Heavyweight Gold Medallist returns to London's Excel Arena to battle toughman Matt Skelton for >
  
  

• Boxing Preview Analysis: Audley Harrison - Dominick Guinn

  In a fight widely ignored here in good old blighty, Olympic Gold Medallist Audley Harrison is back in action this coming Friday against Dominick Guinn on a Goosen - Tutor >
  
  

• Boxing Info: Matt Skelton

  

  Commonwealth Heavyweight Champion - Matt Skelton, was scheduled to fight Audley Harrison this Saturday at ExCel, London, but with just a week to go >
  
  

---