Audley Harrison has suffered the first defeat of his professional career - KO'd by the BBC, whose late-night screening of his 17th fight, against
the Polish champion Tomasz Bronin next Saturday, will be the last under the exclusive arrangement that has made him a millionaire.
The Olympic super-heavyweight champion has revealed that no new deal has been negotiated and he is now turning his back on Britain, probably to fight
only in the United States. He says: "I don't know when I am going to fight again either on television or in this country. So well done to those people
who have been campaigning against me. Well done.''
The bitter ending of his glove affair with the BBC must be a massive blow to Harrison's ego. It comes about, he claims, because the Premiership is
returning to the Beeb, who will have no room in future for Saturday-night fights. However, I understand that negotiations actually broke down because
the BBC had demanded greater quality control of his opponents after the procession of inadequate no-hopers and has-beens who have crossed Harrison's
path, albeit that this is the traditional route for a heavyweight hope. They felt they should have more say in whom he fights, and when, after their
initial investment of £1m for his exclusive services following his Sydney triumph.
Well i can see where they are comming from. they want to show decent fights not some of the bums he has been fighting. They want value for money and
if Audley can't deliever that then so be it. He will do well in the states he did before.