• Heavyweight

Harrison comes out of retirement after 20 days

ESPN staff
May 21, 2013
Audley Harrison is returning to the ring in the near future © PA Photos
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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.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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