Audley Harrison - "I'm crying because I'm proud"

A last gasp punch put Audley Harrison in the winning seat while Michael Sprott spent Friday night seated in a hospital bed for observation after being heavily knocked out.

As I entered Audley’s dressing room after the fight there he was sitting comfortably as several press men stood over him.

It wasn’t a noisy and crowded place, neither was there a legion of fans or followers. Just the family and friends who have stuck by ‘The A Force’ through the dark and lonely nights when it appeared his dreams would never become reality were there standing by his side and sharing his great moment.

Next to Audley was resting the European heavyweight belt the just reward for his display of courage.

How does this compare to being an Olympic champion?

“A gold medal you can never take away, but this right about now feels so, so sweet. It brought tears to my eyes. I just said losing wasn’t an option. I had to find a way, for me to find that shot it was a beautiful thing.”

We have become use to Audley being a great self-publicist but I saw a different and modest side to him after the battle had been won.

With tears in his eyes Harrison paid tribute to his wife first of all who told me she was left breathless by his dice with danger.

“I am giving all respect to my wife, to my daughter, to my family, to God. People don’t understand I have put up with a lot of s*** but I’m real and you know what I make no apologies for who I am, I make no apologies, you know people are going to love it, or like it, I make no apologies. People are going to see a lot of me because I ain't going nowhere.”

As Audley choked backed more tears a concerned friend said “Hold it up Audley.”

Big boys don’t cry? Well this one does. And he quickly rejected the call to be strong.

“You know what I don’t care, I’m crying because I’m proud. I aint afraid to have no tears in my eyes, people don’t want to see it but I don’t care my business you understand?

"Because when you work hard you get the reward. I worked hard everyday in the gym and I deserve this.”

What would Audley be doing to celebrate?

“You know what I am not going to get too carried away, I am going to keep reflective and humble and like I said no drinking, I am going back to the gym on Monday and I am staying focused and disciplined and like I said I loved it in there that’s what people don’t understand I loved it. The battle was hard and I wanted it to be hard. I absolutely loved it.  It brought tears to my eyes because that’s how much I loved it. That’s how much I want to be a boxer, that’s how much I wanted to be European champion.”

And you still think your dream (of becoming world champion) is going to come true?

“100 per-cent, no doubt more than ever I will be a world champion before I retire no doubt.”