Williams warns Harrison of 'rude awakening'
Danny Williams insists Audley Harrison is in for a rude awakening in their eagerly-awaited Commonwealth heavyweight title clash at London’s ExCel tonight.
Williams believes the Olympic super-heavyweight champion has underestimated his ability to bounce back from a crushing loss to Vitali Klitschko one year ago.
Then he was battered to a seventh-round defeat in Las Vegas and said: “The only reason Audley has taken this fight is because he thinks Klitschko took a lot out of me.
“But ask any of my sparring partners and they will say that is not the case. I proved I could take a good punch and that I am a warrior.
“I feel great and I am ready to rumble. I am feeling relaxed and strong and now the talking has stopped we will see what we have got for each other.”
Williams officially weighed in at his heaviest – 19st 6lbs – for the fight although the reality is without his baggy tracksuit bottoms he would be around half a stone lighter.
Either way he will boast a weight advantage over Harrison, whose 18st 1lb is marginally heavier than he was for his last fight against Robert Wiggins in the United States.
Williams added: “I weighed myself this morning and I am exactly how I was for the Tyson fight. It is exactly the position I wanted to be in.”
Harrison is itching to prove a point after being subjected to much criticism over his professional path since his Olympic win five years ago.
And he can surely think of no better place to prove his critics wrong than in the biggest all-British heavyweight clash since Lennox Lewis met Frank Bruno in Cardiff in 1993.
Harrison’s progress has occasionally been painful but he believes victory over Williams will finally take him to the brink of his lifetime dream.
Harrison said: “In a couple more fights, around the same time next year all being well, I will be fighting for a world title.
“But it is all about Saturday night. There are lots of reasons why things have not been done in the past but none of that is important now.
“All opponents raise their game against me and I am confident you will see the best of Danny Williams – that’s what I’ve turned up for and that’s what I am looking forward to.
“But I honestly believe victory is already secure. Danny only has a lucky puncher’s chance. Either I will run away with it or I will walk through him and knock him out.”
Harrison is expected to be asked to weather an early assault from Williams, for whom the best chance of victory appears to be by knock-out.
Certainly Harrison had unsettling moments in previous bouts against Mark Krence and Mathew Ellis and he is yet to face a puncher of the quality of Williams.
But Harrison is well equipped to weather any early storm and is favourite to wrestle control of the fight by the half-way stage and rack up a convincing points win.
