BBC SPORT | Boxing | Williams goads Harrison



Exclusive by David Walmsley BBC Sport Online

British heavyweight champion Danny Williams has told BBC Sport Online that he believes Audley Harrison will never have the courage to challenge him for his title.

Harrison has treated the domestic title as a minor distraction from his main goal of becoming world champion.

Fight preview: Harrison v Robinson

But Williams insists that his rival's apparent disdain for the crown is masking his reluctance to get in the ring with him.

"Audley Harrison is waiting for me to vacate my title before he goes for it," Williams told BBC Sport Online.

Audley will continue to con the public until he gets the bottle to fight Danny Williams

Danny Williams
British champion

"I think he will sit around and wait for me to hopefully win the European title and vacate the British title.

"He will probably go for it after that but Audley Harrison doesn't want to fight Danny Williams.

"As a fighter, I would love to shut Audley Harrison's mouth, but I don't think it's a fight that will ever come off.

"Audley will continue to con the British public by bringing over American fighters who have impressive records but who can't fight.

"He will continue to con the public until he gets the bottle to fight Danny Williams."

Harrison continues his career on Saturday when he makes his US debut against Shawn Robinson, an opponent Williams knocked out in two rounds a year ago.

Harrison: Williams not good enough

Williams expects Harrison to make similarly short work of Robinson in Atlantic City.

But he maintains that a swift finish will not prove 31-year-old Harrison to be in the same class as the British champion.

Audley Harrison
Harrison believes Williams is not a world-class fighter
Williams said: "Audley can do a good job on this guy and make the public think he is on a par with me because he's beaten the same opponent in about the same time.

"I would say that is not the case because we will have boxed this guy at different times of his career.

"When I fought him he had only one loss and was unbeaten in over a year. Audley Harrison is fighting him when he hasn't had a win in over a year and his confidence is very low."

And he added: "Every fight Audley has he calls it a step up and it isn't.

"I would say Robinson, at this stage in his career, is a little below the likes of Derek McCafferty [Harrison's second professional opponent].

"At age 31, Audley should be fighting a lot better opposition than he is."

Highlights of Saturday's Harrison v Robinson fight will be shown on Sunday Grandstand at 1445 GMT on BBC Two.


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