Harrison gets champion advice

Audley Harrison is totally single-minded in his determination to pilot his own career as he chases his dream of turning Olympic gold into the riches that go with becoming heavyweight champion of the world.

But he vehemently denies that he doesn’t listen to anyone as he pursues his course of being fighter, manager and promoter all rolled into one.

“I’m getting advice from people who matter – Lennox Lewis, Roy Jones, Sugar Shane Moseley and Vernon Forrest,” claimed Harrison who prefers to consult with the big-name champions rather than talk to promoters or listen to his many critics.

Harrison believes that the future for boxing’s big names is to conclude their own deals with the sport’s broadcasting paymasters rather than sign up with the established promoters.

He has put together his own close-knit team at his A-Force promotional company and demonstrated the independence he is anxious to maintain with this week’s revelation that he has dispensed with the services of boxing adviser Colin McMillan, the former WBO world featherweight champion, because he would rather speak for himself.

Harrison and business manager Hazel Bruno-Gilbert, who has been with him for 13 years, right through the amateur career which culminated with the Olympic super-heavyweight title at Sydney 2000, will make the decisions.

“It’s a long journey and I’ve struggled for my independence and that’s what it’s about,” said Harrison who also discarded his American trainer Kenny Croome.

“It was just me and her who started out. We’ve put together a big team which cost a lot of money. Despite what people are saying, the money hasn’t just gone in my pocket, we have spent it on a world-class team.”

Bruno-Gilbert insisted: “The plan has always been to take our time and develop the best amateur in the world into the best professional in the world. Audley and I always thought it was important he develop in the manner befitting a potential world champion.

“Audley as a promotional entity should be commended. There are a host of boxers who also have control over their careers – Roy Jones, Oscar De La Hoya, Lennox Lewis, Shane Moseley and Naseem Hamed are just a few who are now taking a more active role in the business side of the sport.”

Even though Harrison is 31, both insist there is no need to rush his development.

“His age will never be a factor in determining whether he is going to make it to the pinnacle. Having started boxing at 19 he could easily continue to his 40th birthday if he wanted to,” claimed Bruno-Gilbert.

Harrison pointed to the example of his Olympic rival Paolo Vidoz, who has already won the Italian heavyweight title, but had his American contract handed back after he lost a fight in the States.

“They tried to rush him too quickly and look what happened. He’s had to go back to Italy and rebuild his career. I’m determined that won’t happen to me,” he said as he countered the criticism of the standards of his early professional opponents.

Fight number 11 will be against England's Blackpool’s Matthew Ellis, who has lost just two and drawn one of his 21 fights, at York Hall, Bethnal Green, UK, on Saturday, May 31, with Harrison promising “a right old East End tear-up” at London’s traditional small-hall home of boxing.