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Harrison ready to take on the world
SYDNEY, Oct 1 (AFP) - British super-heavyweight Audley Harrison is ready to take on the world and wear the Lennox Lewis crown. The fast-punching Londoner overcame a painful hand injury Sunday to fulfil his ambition of Olympic gold by beating Kazakhstan's Mukhtarkhan Dildabekov and is now preparing to turn professional. WBC and IBF world heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis wished him well in a pre-fight fax and Harrison, 28, said he was now ready to take his mantle. "They've questioned my heart, they've questioned my desire but the bottom line is, just like Lennox Lewis who keeps proving it time and time again, I'm a man who will keep proving I can do it," he said. "I've fought four good world class fighters here and proved that where Lennox Lewis has gone I can go. I'm the next man for Great Britain. "I'll be turning pro in the immediate future. Nothing's been sorted out yet, that's another road, another mountain but this mountain is finished." And the plaudits don't come much higher than Evander Holyfield -- the WBA world heavyweight champion who said ringside that Harrison had the makings of a champion. "Boxing will probably be over in a year for me but I'm sure this is a future great," he said. "He has the body, now he just needs the mind. That's the most important thing. It's going to take a lot of work. Being heavyweight champ of the world is very different to being Olympic champion. The competition on the pro circuit is a lot stronger, but he's defintely got the ability." His win was Britain's first boxing gold since Chris Finnegan punched his way to success in Mexico City 32 years ago. "The first gold in 32 years -- a great achievement for me and amateur boxing in Britain and the rest of the world," said Harrison, who has lost just five of his 28 international bouts. "A lot of people tried to write me off, said I would turn professional before Sydney but I've proved I'm the man. I've proved that I'm the man who sets a goal and achieves it." And he achieved his goal with damaged tendons in his left hand, which may need an operation. Harrison, known in boxing circles as "H bomb", said the hand was "like the size of an apple" before the fight. "Everyone knows the left cross is my power hand so it was like going into a war with that gun missing" he said. "But I was going to go through with it no matter what. It's a shame I had a bad hand because I think I could have taken him out. His coach Ian Irwin said Harrison was more than just a good fighter. "he has the personality, he is a very bright young man, he can be the next Lennox Lewis," said Irwin. "He has shown he is a man of 110 kilograms who can move smoothly and he is so well balanced. But there are also the simply qualities, such as his discipline and fairness. "Hopefully people will look at that and say I want some of that." As he kissed the gold medal, tears ran down Harrison's cheek. "I said it was my destiny and I've proved I'm not just a man who can talk," he said. "I'm going to go away and get fixed but you're going to be hearing a lot more from Audley Harrison.
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