‘Deontay, at some point, is going to land’: Audley Harrison recalls his career-ending defeat against Wilder

Exclusive interview: Knocked down and out in just 70 seconds, Olympic gold medallist Audley Harrison felt the full force of Deontay Wilder’s arsenal and believes Tyson Fury will have to survive the same onslaught this Saturday

The last and only time a British boxer disregarded the warnings about his safety and decided to face Deontay Wilder, the fight lasted just 70 seconds.

It is now more than five years since the puncher from Alabama flew to Sheffield in order to face Audley Harrison in a fight which, he hoped, would provide him with a recognisable name on his record and expose him to the British fighting public.

Although he was 27-0, the jury was very much still out on Wilder’s potential at world level given his lack of any real opposition during his first five years as a professional.

As it happened, 41-year-old Harrison, 13 years on from his capture of Olympic gold in Sydney, lasted just over a minute at the hands of his American visitor.

It would prove to be the London southpaw’s final fight and he now lives his life not far from the Staples Center, where Wilder takes on the second Brit of his career this Saturday in the form of the undefeated former WBA, WBO and IBF champion Fury.

Since that night at the Sheffield Arena, Wilder has won 12 more fights – 11 inside the distance – and claimed the WBC title, which will be on the line at the home of the LA Lakers this weekend.

On 27 April, 2013, just before midnight, Wilder had described himself as ‘a beast with God-given talent’ and Harrison, who was still recovering from the succession of right and left hands he had swallowed earlier that evening, might well have agreed.

Audley Harrison was on the end of a brutal knockout defeat by Deontay Wilder five years ago (Getty)

And having been on the end of Wilder in full flow, Harrison is well placed to offer his opinion on the next Briton to have a crack at the Bronze Bomber.

“With Wilder, it’s not just that power but it’s the explosive speed that he has that can just send you to sleep,” said Harrison, who looks on as his morning personal training client – one of the world’s leading poker players – warms up at Santa Monica’s Box n Burn gym.

“He can knock you out with the jab and with the right hand.

“He’s very ungainly and it’s hard for you to close him down. I think Deontay Wilder is, at some point, going to catch Fury whereas I don’t think Fury can knock out Wilder.

“He’s a dangerous heavyweight. Not only is he a quick, concussive puncher but with Mark Breland in his corner he’s got a beautiful jab.”

It has been suggested that Saturday night will come far too soon for Fury, who has had only two low-key fights since a ring hiatus of nearly 1,000 days.

This week marks three years since the Wilmslow traveller went to Dusseldorf and famously outpointed Wladimir Klitschko and, according to Harrison, the 2018 victories over Sefer Seferi and Francesco Pianeta may not be enough to prime him for a Wilder firefight.

Harrison believes that Fury will need to show a resilience to take Wilder's most powerful punches (Getty)

He said: “Obviously Deontay Wilder is an active champion who has sent everybody to sleep including me... although I did beat the count.

“I just don’t think Tyson Fury, coming off the two fights he’s had, is enough to walk through him. I think he could outbox him if he was a bit sharper and he didn’t have the ring rust.

“It’s going to be an interesting, intriguing match-up but I think Deontay, at some point, is going to land and as we saw with Steve Cunningham, Tyson Fury can get up.

“He’s got the biggest balls in the game when it comes to heavyweights. He’s got no fear, he’s got confidence and swagger but he’s not been active enough. That could be the difference.

“Deontay Wilder is coming to set you up with the jab, looking to land that right hand and it’s going to be hard to stay away from it for the whole 12 rounds.

“Ring rust is something you can only get rid of by having real active bouts.

“A good example is George Foreman. When he came back he had lots of activity, lots of bouts, got better and better and then he went and beat Michael Moorer. That’s the way to do it if you really want to come back and slowly get rid of the ring rust correctly.

“George Foreman is a good example of how to do it the right way. This way is a bit rushed but he’s daring to be great. He’s giving it a shot and he’s got nothing to lose and everything to gain.”

Harrison retired after his loss to Wilder (Getty)

Predictably, both Wilder and Fury believe Saturday night’s winner will knock WBA, IBF and WBO champion Anthony Joshua off the heavyweight top spot, but Harrison does not agree.

“You’ve got to say AJ is the No.1 whatever happens here,” Harrison added. “But he’s got Deontay Wilder right behind him, breathing down his neck. There’s not much between them.

“AJ got the belts, he beat Klitschko and that sealed AJ’s position right now. Obviously Deontay Wilder needs a Tyson Fury or an AJ to cement his position at the top. Tyson is gathering some steam but I think it’s just a bit too early for him.

“I think the heavyweight picture is in a beautiful place with three undefeated guys at the top there. But I would say AJ is just ahead.”