Audley Harrison has revealed he is returning to
professional boxing, just 20 days after announcing his retirement from the
sport.
The British heavyweight decided to finally hang up his
gloves after an embarrassing first round defeat to Deontay Wilder last month -
but, after struggling to come to terms with the decision in the ensuing days
and weeks, has now revealed he will be back in the ring “real soon”.
“When I made the tough decision to walk away from boxing,
I knew it was not going to be easy,” Audley said in a statement. “As the days
passed, I knew I would not be able to live with the decision.
“I wrestled with it for a few weeks, and spoke to
everyone from the boxing board, to Lennox Lewis, David Haye, my dad, wife and
many others … ultimately seeing my son born crystallized my decision’.
“There is no way I am going to tell my son, ‘I gave up
because I didn’t want to climb the mountain again, I didn’t want to dust myself
off again’ when I’m now in the best shape of my career? How can I retire, when
I know I have another shot in me?”
“We all saw how the fight ended, which was not right. I
can’t walk away with that performance. If I do, it would haunt me until I’m old
and grey.
“Don’t know where, but see you in a ring real soon.”
Harrison could now step in to face Dereck Chisora on June
15. Chisora was due to meet Wilder on that summer date - with the bout even
being announced by promoter Frank Warren - but the American’s current legal
troubles in the US have thrown the meeting into real doubt. (Source)