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The most intriguing thing for me about this match-up is that there are so many variables, just as there were in Williams's last major bout. (Klitchsko looked amateurish and awkward in defeating Corrie Sanders... so much so that I even picked Danny to win it. In the event it was one of the most one-sided bouts in heavyweight history).
The first thing that struck me about the match-up was that I never expected Harrison to go in against someone who could **** (Williams has 28 KOs in 33 wins ... although Harrison's 74% KO ratio isn't so far behind Danny's 85%, it IS against a lot lower level of opposition) at least until it was for a world title. Negotiating your way through the ranks of today's heavies without having to meet a hard puncher isn't as hard as it sounds... just look at Hasim Rahman's rise to WBC title holder since his last loss.
However, the fact that Harrison HAS taken on the task answers the questions about his chin. The mere fact that he's prepared to take on Danny shows that he knows he has one... or at least, he believes he has. While I understand a street fighter isn't going to be as adept at punching as a trained boxer, it's easy to forget from watching the cautious Harrison that he's an ex-con who was involved in street brawls in tough parts of London.
Stamina's going to be a major factor if Harrison has to win by decision (and, while he's probably a more effective puncher than the likes of Barrett and Byrd, he's probably unlikely to KO, if not TKO, a man who was still on his feet after eight rounds with Vitali Klitschko). Harrison has only been the distance once, against Julius Francis as a late replacement for an injured Nikolai Popov. While Harrison delighted himself by "going the distance", the pace he set was so forced and laboured against a literal journeyman that a crowd member was seen "mooning" to the camera in protest. Effectively, then, Audley HASN'T been the distance... or at least the kind of distance that Danny (five 12 rounders out of 37 pro bouts) will make him set.
Danny's actually two years younger, though is past his prime and far more battle worn, a factor Harrison referenced in interviews. (The Klitschko fight, particularly). Another contentious element is everyone's favourite UK referee, Dave Parris. When Danny defended his British & Commonwealth titles against Michael Sprott in September 2003 there was still an archaic ruling that the referee scored the fight. As a result Williams showboated his titles away to a man he'd previously KOed twice, despite the majority - including Michael Sprott himself - believing Danny had won. (Sprott lost the titles to Matt Skelton on his first defence, a fighter who's on the undercard tomorrow). While the ruling has since been overturned and tomorrow night's bout will be judged in the traditional manner, the fight will still be controlled by a man who has shown impatience with Danny in the past and subsequently may get inside his head.
That last line is the biggest wild card in all of this - both fighters have something to lose, there's a five-year-long bad blood between them and Frank Warren has spent the same period of time trashing Harrison in his weekly column. But Danny - and this makes him one of the most exciting and frustrating fighters to watch for me - is a total (pardon the expression) head ****. One plus this time is that he's the slight underdog in the betting, because whenever Danny's stepped up into a bout that he's touted to win handily (His first fight with Julius Francis; the third Michael Sprott fight; Sinan Samil Sam after beating him already in the amateurs) his head has been elsewhere and he's failed. When Danny's under extreme pressure in the ring (defending his titles with his right arm out of the socket and KOing Mark Potter single-handed; being brought in as the "easy opponent" for Mike Tyson) he performs much better. Even though he was beaten out of sight by Klitschko, it still saw him get up off the canvas four times, proving both his chin and bravery.
Logic perhaps suggests that the longer it goes on, the more chance Harrison will have of scoring either a fairly wide points win or a late TKO where a dispirited Williams will take a combination of punches and have Parris step in. A Harrison win will perhaps be better for boxing, as - while I genuinely believe Danny has a chance with any of the current crop of heavies now Vitali has retired - Williams is unlikely to get a second chance, while Audley is on an upward trajectory, and has unquestionably more talent than his rising peers (Brock, Skelton, Peter, et al). On a physical level, then Audley has four inches in height on Danny, and the longest reach in the division at 86" to Williams's 79".
However, while I don't want Audley to be humiliated (if only to shut up Frank Warren) the fact that I pay ground rent on Danny's nuts would mean I'd like to see a Williams win. While Danny's an underrated boxer (though didn't get to show it against Vitali, a bad night for his skills) he's unlikely to beat Harrison on points. Around the time of Audley's debut Danny freely admitted that Harrison was the best boxer in Britain in terms of pure technical skill. Whether that skill will be tested tomorrow by Danny taking him into a place he doesn't want to be, or whether Audley will dominate early with the jab and dispirit the flakey Williams remains to be seen.
The first thing that struck me about the match-up was that I never expected Harrison to go in against someone who could **** (Williams has 28 KOs in 33 wins ... although Harrison's 74% KO ratio isn't so far behind Danny's 85%, it IS against a lot lower level of opposition) at least until it was for a world title. Negotiating your way through the ranks of today's heavies without having to meet a hard puncher isn't as hard as it sounds... just look at Hasim Rahman's rise to WBC title holder since his last loss.
However, the fact that Harrison HAS taken on the task answers the questions about his chin. The mere fact that he's prepared to take on Danny shows that he knows he has one... or at least, he believes he has. While I understand a street fighter isn't going to be as adept at punching as a trained boxer, it's easy to forget from watching the cautious Harrison that he's an ex-con who was involved in street brawls in tough parts of London.
Stamina's going to be a major factor if Harrison has to win by decision (and, while he's probably a more effective puncher than the likes of Barrett and Byrd, he's probably unlikely to KO, if not TKO, a man who was still on his feet after eight rounds with Vitali Klitschko). Harrison has only been the distance once, against Julius Francis as a late replacement for an injured Nikolai Popov. While Harrison delighted himself by "going the distance", the pace he set was so forced and laboured against a literal journeyman that a crowd member was seen "mooning" to the camera in protest. Effectively, then, Audley HASN'T been the distance... or at least the kind of distance that Danny (five 12 rounders out of 37 pro bouts) will make him set.
Danny's actually two years younger, though is past his prime and far more battle worn, a factor Harrison referenced in interviews. (The Klitschko fight, particularly). Another contentious element is everyone's favourite UK referee, Dave Parris. When Danny defended his British & Commonwealth titles against Michael Sprott in September 2003 there was still an archaic ruling that the referee scored the fight. As a result Williams showboated his titles away to a man he'd previously KOed twice, despite the majority - including Michael Sprott himself - believing Danny had won. (Sprott lost the titles to Matt Skelton on his first defence, a fighter who's on the undercard tomorrow). While the ruling has since been overturned and tomorrow night's bout will be judged in the traditional manner, the fight will still be controlled by a man who has shown impatience with Danny in the past and subsequently may get inside his head.
That last line is the biggest wild card in all of this - both fighters have something to lose, there's a five-year-long bad blood between them and Frank Warren has spent the same period of time trashing Harrison in his weekly column. But Danny - and this makes him one of the most exciting and frustrating fighters to watch for me - is a total (pardon the expression) head ****. One plus this time is that he's the slight underdog in the betting, because whenever Danny's stepped up into a bout that he's touted to win handily (His first fight with Julius Francis; the third Michael Sprott fight; Sinan Samil Sam after beating him already in the amateurs) his head has been elsewhere and he's failed. When Danny's under extreme pressure in the ring (defending his titles with his right arm out of the socket and KOing Mark Potter single-handed; being brought in as the "easy opponent" for Mike Tyson) he performs much better. Even though he was beaten out of sight by Klitschko, it still saw him get up off the canvas four times, proving both his chin and bravery.
Logic perhaps suggests that the longer it goes on, the more chance Harrison will have of scoring either a fairly wide points win or a late TKO where a dispirited Williams will take a combination of punches and have Parris step in. A Harrison win will perhaps be better for boxing, as - while I genuinely believe Danny has a chance with any of the current crop of heavies now Vitali has retired - Williams is unlikely to get a second chance, while Audley is on an upward trajectory, and has unquestionably more talent than his rising peers (Brock, Skelton, Peter, et al). On a physical level, then Audley has four inches in height on Danny, and the longest reach in the division at 86" to Williams's 79".
However, while I don't want Audley to be humiliated (if only to shut up Frank Warren) the fact that I pay ground rent on Danny's nuts would mean I'd like to see a Williams win. While Danny's an underrated boxer (though didn't get to show it against Vitali, a bad night for his skills) he's unlikely to beat Harrison on points. Around the time of Audley's debut Danny freely admitted that Harrison was the best boxer in Britain in terms of pure technical skill. Whether that skill will be tested tomorrow by Danny taking him into a place he doesn't want to be, or whether Audley will dominate early with the jab and dispirit the flakey Williams remains to be seen.
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