The former Olympic champion has urged Anthony Joshua to bring him into his training setup ahead of a rematch with Daniel Dubois.
In our exclusive interview, Audley Harrison urges Anthony Joshua to bring him into his coaching setup ahead of a potential match with Daniel Dubois.
The 2000 Olympic super-heavyweight champion believes Dubois would be the favourite in the boxing betting to win the rematch, but says he can tidy up Joshua’s mistakes and help him gain revenge.
Harrison also shares his concern about Mike Tyson’s upcoming fight with Jake Paul, and discusses his first ever meeting with Eddie Hearn.
Can AJ avenge defeat to Daniel Dubois?
He’s facing a different kind of beast because Daniel Dubois has tasted victory. Now he feels like the real champ, having beaten a real fighter. Dubois will be a different animal to beat a second time around. I know there’s a rematch clause, and I think he’ll take it, but it’s going to be tougher this time. Technically, he can get there if he makes some adjustments, but there’s no guarantee that the outcome will be different.
Could AJ benefit from another change of trainer?
I think AJ can learn some more, and if he stays with Ben Davison, he might need to bring someone else in to help tidy everything up. Then he should go for the rematch. Dubois would be the favourite — he might even walk through him because AJ made some fundamental mistakes last time, stepping back with his hands down, giving Dubois a free shot. It was a cardinal sin at heavyweight – you can’t do that. Dubois will be confident and won’t get complacent in training. He’ll train just as hard. So, he has to be the favourite, but I wouldn’t write AJ off completely. He’s got a solid chance if he makes the right adjustments.
Who would you bring in to tidy up those mistakes?
Of course, it would be myself. He’s missing something. He’s had his setbacks — what happened with Ruiz, the losses, switching trainers — and each one brings something different. So, as a team, they need to look at why they lost and if they can correct those mistakes for a rematch with Dubois. Potentially, they believe they can because the errors, like stepping back with your hand down, are simple to fix. Maybe they feel they have it covered, but I’d ask them to question it.
If you want to win that fight and then finish your career strong against someone like Fury, there are still things that need ironing out. Someone like myself, I could sit there and take the time to fix those things with you in the ring. Too many fighters neglect shadow boxing, I can tell Tyson Fury does a lot of shadow boxing; I can see it in how he moves. Not enough trainers understand its importance or how to do it with instruction. For Joshua’s style, his shoulders need to be a bit looser. Shadow boxing could help that. He’s got great combination punching — uppercuts, hooks — but without enough shadow boxing, it’s not second nature. I’d have him watching videos of Riddick Bowe. His style could be so similar with just a little more fluidity, making his hands his defence, using his shoulders to roll, and getting under punches. I could give him the tools to maximise his style, making him far more dynamic, dangerous and complete. Dubois wouldn’t be able to land a shot clean. And if he did, he’d walk right into a counter.
I’d still love to work with him now, bringing in what I learned from American trainers, rolling, stepping off the line, keeping your shoulders loose and relaxed. None of today’s trainers seem to have that knowledge, especially for heavyweights. You need to have more bounce in your movement, you see it with Usyk and Tyson Fury, having that bounce and rhythm. All the greats had it: Larry Holmes, Riddick Bowe, even Wladimir Klitschko. And I had it, too, because it was passed down to me. But many modern fighters are missing this. It’s becoming a lost art.
Would your mentor Lennox Lewis have beaten AJ?
Lennox v AJ would be a good fight, but Lennox is technically and tactically ahead of everyone right now. If you look back to one of Lennox’s fights, Michael Grant at Madison Square Garden, I was there. Grant was an unbeaten heavyweight, the next big thing, similar build to AJ and knocked out everyone. But Lennox gave him a clinic, banged him out. I’m not hating AJ, but Lennox was just ahead. His jab and understanding of timing and distance would have kept AJ from getting close. When he did, Lennox would tie him up. At long range, he would walk him down and land that big right hand. I think Lennox would get the win, probably by stoppage, or at least comfortably on points.
You have said before you’ve benefited from training camps in Vegas, could AJ?
Las Vegas is the boxing capital of the world, it’s where the top gyms and promoters are. Back in the day, the gyms would be packed with talent. Sparring with top fighters in those gyms is invaluable. I remember training with Sugar Shane Mosley and even the rapper, The Game, was in the gym. When everyone’s watching, you’ve got to bring your best.
That environment teaches you to perform under pressure. It was a cauldron at times and gives you that edge because there’s always someone waiting to take your head off. But AJ’s at a stage where he may not want to uproot for a camp in the US, so you have to go to him — he’s the one calling the shots. I’d recommend setting up a private camp where we can control everything, bring in the right people, and create the ideal environment. That’s how Lennox did it. He mentored me on having private camps, bringing in the best sparring partners, and running things like a champion from day one.
Can Tyson Fury avenge his defeat to Oleksandr Usyk?
Fury isn’t the favourite on paper. Usyk can dance around him, get in and out and outbox him. But something tells me Tyson Fury has that extra bit of magic. He’s going to go to Saudi Arabia and turn back the clock. He needs to match Usyk’s fitness and conditioning. Tyson Fury did a lot of things wrong against Usyk, just like AJ did, but he gave Usyk more trouble than anyone else has.
I think Fury, when he’s fully motivated with the bit between teeth, can really challenge Usyk in a rematch. He just needs to use all his advantages. He’s got something to prove. Fury’s a boxing man through and through, with ups and downs throughout his career. Sometimes he has a different attitude in fights, and it doesn’t always turn out well, but watching these recent videos, you can see he’s in “payback mode” and wants to set things right.
Setbacks can be your best friend in boxing — they pave the way for comebacks. Right now, Fury seems to be in revenge mode, looking to get back in the ring and make a statement. That mindset is crucial for a competitive fight. Usyk is consistent, he controls the pace, boxes inside and outside, but doesn’t like body shots. He’s always turning, always moving.
In their first fight, Fury didn’t use his size and strength enough. He didn’t lean on him, didn’t pressure him properly. This time, I think he will. He needs to match Usyk’s work rate and intensity first and foremost. If he can do that, then he can use his advantages to bully him, push him back, and get those body shots in — target the abs, not the private parts. He needs to do that consistently.
Would you ever try an exhibition fight?
Not in the ring. My boxing days are over. In the last two years of my career, I took too much punishment. My brain can’t take any more. I refuse. You go swimming, you’re going to get wet — you can’t avoid it. I used to pride myself on not taking clean punches, but in the last two years of my career, with my knees starting to fade, I couldn’t move as much. I took more punishment in my last two years than in my whole career. I would never go back to the ring for Misfits. Not for $1million, $2million, $5million, $10million. No way. But I would be there as your trainer or advisor, helping you navigate the best deals in and out of the ring, so you can shine your light. That’s what I’m focused on now, and I’m looking for those opportunities.
Can you talk about why we never saw the best of you in the ring?
As a performer, the goal is to peak for the performance. In the Olympics, I peaked at the right time, but in a fight you’re trying to peak at the right time every single time. Sometimes it just doesn’t work out that way. Anytime you lose, there’s a learning curve. Sometimes it’s not about what went wrong, but when.
In 2007, I fought Michael Sprott. I was winning the fight, knocked him down in the first round, looked great, and then, boom, I got knocked out. Walked onto a hook, and it’s lights out. Against David Haye I flopped. I had a game plan, but I was at the end of my career. I had just come back from a torn pectoral muscle when I fought Sprott again and managed to win. Then I got a chance to fight David for the world title right out of surgery. I thought I could pull it off, but I couldn’t. Father Time caught up with me.
How do you reflect on your last fight against Deontay Wilder?
I had Deontay Wilder in training camp two years before and I sparred with him a lot, but in 20-ounce gloves. He improved so much in those two years, and when you’re wearing 10-ounce gloves, punches hit differently. I didn’t want to be stopped in that fight. I was upset with the referee. I knew it could be my last fight, and I wanted to go out on my shield. But my balance was gone, my legs were gone. It felt like I was swimming in there. That was tough. I didn’t accept it. I’d be in those situations, getting hit, and my balance was all over the place. But you have to look in the mirror.
I was excited about seeing Wilder and AJ, and maybe still want to see it. Wilder and Joshua had all the intrigue, it was a great matchup, like Rocky and Apollo Creed. It had all the hype but it’s faded a bit now, especially with Deontay Wilder’s style changing. Wilder being backed up is a different fighter than the one who came forward throwing bombs. Now, you’d probably give AJ the advantage. People want to see both of them get back on track. Wilder is still Wilder, though — the guy who knocked out 39 guys coming forward, using his range and distance.
Can an old dog learn new tricks? When Wilder gets backed up, they still haven’t figured out how to make him effective. I believe those things can still be corrected, even at this late stage. If he fixes that, he could have one of the greatest comebacks ever. But they need to correct how he handles being backed up. Right now, AJ would probably be the favourite, but I still think Wilder, if he worked on that weakness, could make it a great fight. Their styles would make it an exciting matchup.
Thoughts on Mike Tyson’s upcoming fight with Jake Paul?
Mike Tyson obviously has been out of the ring, he’s older now, 58, he’s had a well-known back issue for many years. Even going back to the Danny Williams days, when he said, ‘my back, my back.’ But he knows a lot about boxing, and he’s done a lot of boxing. The pad work I’m seeing? That’s just for social media. I’m hopeful and confident that he’s doing different work, building his conditioning behind the scenes, which isn’t going to be easy at his age. I think that’s what Jake Paul is banking on. But if Tyson lands a shot on Jake Paul, I think it’s over. The longer the fight goes, though, the more confidence Jake will build.
You could see how nervous Jake Paul was during the first face-off. As a fighter, I saw it. You’re against Mike Tyson — the baddest man on the planet — and he still has that aura. Jake Paul might feel comfortable now, but on fight night, when it’s time to walk out there, he’s facing Mike Tyson. That realization could hit him, bringing nerves, and if he ends up being too negative or holding, Tyson could just beat him up and knock him out of it. But if Jake has a game plan and sticks to it, moving around and tying up, he’s going to make it interesting.
The question is if Tyson has the stamina to go eight rounds. He could get tired, and Jake Paul could win just by staying away and landing enough punches as Tyson wears down. It could show Tyson’s age, and he might just get stopped. But I still think Tyson will make it interesting. If the Tyson I know shows up, I think he’ll bang him out. But it’s definitely not a certainty, because you’re never sure what version of Tyson is going to show up.
How did you meet Eddie Hearn at a poker table? That meeting had a big impact on your career.
In 2008, I was living in Vegas, boxing on the Joe Calzaghe undercard. I fought on the same card as Calzaghe and Bernard Hopkins thanks to Frank Warren. That year, I also fought Georgie Arias in Manchester, lost on points, and my career seemed to be in limbo.
During that time, I was playing poker at the World Series, and Eddie Hearn wasn’t fully involved in boxing yet — he was running Prizefighter, but that was about it as we started talking at the table in Vegas. He told me about Prizefighter and suggested I make a comeback. At first, I wasn’t sure, but Eddie being Eddie, he convinced me to give it a shot. He said, “If you do Prizefighter, it could lead to a European title, maybe even a world title.” So, I went for it. I’d just moved from Vegas to California, but I went back to Vegas for training camp and ended up winning Prizefighter, which led to a shot at the European title.
Originally, I was supposed to fight Albert Sosnowski, but he pulled out with about eight weeks’ notice, and Michael Sprott stepped in. That was huge because Sprott had beaten me in 2007, so I was really motivated. During the fight, I tore my pec in the third round, but still, beating Sprott earned me a shot at David Haye. That Haye fight, was actually the start of Eddie’s journey. His dad, Barry Hearn, had been out of boxing for a while, and this was Eddie’s chance. He did the deal with Sky, and it was his first pay-per-view. I was heavily involved in negotiating that deal, along with David’s team. It was a turning point for Matchroom. From there, they signed fighters like Carl Froch and Kell Brook, and Eddie’s never looked back.
The universe just brought us together at that poker tournament. It helped both of us. I mean, look what he’s done — he’s taken Matchroom to the U.S., filling arenas. I was at one of his shows in Phoenix recently, packed with 15,000 fans. He’s turned boxing promotion into a serious business. It all started in Vegas, at that poker tournament.
