Audley Harrison - "I am a success story."
With the exception of Joe Bugner I can’t recall (at least in my lifetime) a high profile British boxer who has encountered more penned punishment than Audley Harrison. Some have gone as far to label him ‘Fraudley, Audrey or A-Farce.’
While Audley wouldn’t quite be the first to admit he hasn’t lived up to his and many others expectations inside the ring he doesn’t buy into the notion that he is just ‘beating the air.’
Once upon a time this story started so differently with an Olympic super-heavyweight gold medal in 2000.
Ten years on and we should be looking back at a super career. Instead Audley stands on the verge of leaving boxing without leaving his desired legacy of becoming a world heavyweight champion.
In spite of all his set backs, Audley refuses to go away and dream somewhere else. A lesser man would have quit long time go and proved his legion of critics right.
The man himself was in London on Tuesday helping promote his final shot at glory this Friday when he hopes to gain revenge over Michael Sprott and capture a European heavyweight crown at London’s Alexandra Palace. (Sprott knocked out Audley in the third round when the pair first met in 2007.)
After Audley had finished his open press encounter I was keen for some one to one. But I wasn’t interested in playing the same old media record with him.
Instead I was keen to find out what Audley has done to remain focused and positive despite his many setbacks and I think his outlook is amazingly refreshing. He was liberal in his explanations as he spelled out the mind behind the man.
“My faith in God, those who God has blessed no one can curse, you get me. Yeah, I get put down and yes, I have fallen but each time I fall I get back up again because adversity is your friend and you use that to build your character and that’s what I have done.
“I had the Midas touch and won an Olympic gold medal and went and set up my own company and negotiated my own deal with the BBC, but all the times I have fallen I have been able to say ‘what is the lesson/’ so it is all good. I have been able to learn a lesson and move to the next stage.”
Audley must, just like the rest of us humans, feel a little discouraged and downbeat at times, so what is his secret to staying on top of the negative vibes?
“Perception is not reality. What people write about you is not reality, life is very comfortable. I have got a beautiful family. I have got a beautiful life.
“I have turned my life around and I know what reality is. The perception people create is not reality, what you read in the papers it’s 10 per cent truth and 90 per cent perception.”
So contrary to popular belief Audley is not a story of failure then and one shouldn’t believe everything they read in the papers?
“The reality is this guy here is a success story. I came from the ghetto, left school with no qualifications then went to jail came out and went to college and university, got a degree, won an Olympic gold medal, set up his own company negotiated a great deal with the Beeb, was unbeaten, fell, still believed in himself, fell again, still believed in himself - that’s the reality.”
No surprise he wasn’t quite finished yet.
“I lost to Danny Williams then destroyed him in three rounds in a rematch. I was beating up Michael Sprott comfortably then got knocked out, then I lost my brother (in a car crash) and I also had a car crash, s*** happens, all those things take a toll on you and you have to work your way back up. I never ever stopped believing.”
That’s enough to knock the life out of anyone so what is Audley’s key to a positive attitude?
“I have got a belief system. I am from the streets. I’ve got a big advantage, remember my degree was in sports science and part of it was psychology. In the Commonwealth Games (1998) I was the unofficial sports psychologist for the team because I know how to make your mind work.
“I’m as tough as they come but your emotions are your enemy and when you become emotional you can’t focus, but I’m prepared and once I’m prepared for victory mentally, physically, spiritually and technically and once I don’t cut corners and do everything I need to win I’m going to win.”
And how does the positive pugilist feel towards those in the media who continue throwing stones?
“They are doing their job. You know what, I don’t watch that. Their job is to sell papers so they have to twist it up. Their job is to make an enemy, a hero and a villain that’s what they do. You can’t write nice stories about Audley.”
There is a great contrast between Audley and former heavyweight favourite Frank Bruno. When the big man fell during his career most observers were cheering him to get back up so why isn’t there the same warmth towards him?
“Because I’m too smart and I tell it how it is. (At this point Audley made it clear that he was not saying Frank Bruno wasn’t smart.) I am not going to stop talking. I have been saying I am going to be a world champion and I am not going to stop talking about it. I am going to keep saying it until I get it and when I get it I am going to say I told you so, people don’t like that but should celebrate it, that’s what having character is about.
“I’m not blaming anyone. It’s not about blame, that’s what it was and that’s what I had to go through and that’s life and that’s how it goes. You use it as your friend so it’s not about blaming it’s about this is what happened and that’s it.”
So there you go we have heard it from the man himself. Audley who despite all the stick he has shipped still has time to talk with the press and reminds me of a best selling book entitled ‘The power of positive thinking.’
He is also a warm and highly intelligent guy. Saturday’s boxing news will make riveting reading one way or the other once the result has come through.
Somebody somewhere will be eating humble pie.
If Audley wins on Friday and does go on to claim the world heavyweight title I think the boxing press will be awaiting a speech similar to that of Muhammad Ali after he beat George Foreman in 1974. (Ali blasted the press for not believing he could do it.)
Oh, our Audley would love that, wouldn't he?
