Rio 2016: Audley Harrison tips Team GB boxers to better Anthony Joshua and Co’s five-medal haul of London 2012… thanks to him
AUDLEY HARRISON will be a proud man when Britain’s boxers take to the ring in Rio.
Rob McCracken’s 12-strong squad have been tipped to surpass the five-medal haul claimed by Anthony Joshua and Co at London 2012.
But things could have been very different had Harrison not struck super-heavyweight gold in Sydney 16 years ago.
He said: “It’s an amazing position to be in where we’re talking about potentially eclipsing what was achieved in London, or at least mirroring it.
“In my time, we just had two boxers who qualified for Sydney. It was so hard to qualify.
“We didn’t have the preparation, infrastructure or money that’s in place now, which is why winning the gold was so important to me.
“I knew it would help get the funding to transform British amateur boxing and make it world class.
“We’re going to Rio with 12 boxers and aren’t there to make up the numbers.
“I really like what I see. Joe Joyce, Antony Fowler, Nicola Adams, Muhammad Ali — we’ve got so much strength.
“We’re serious medal prospects in all weight divisions, so it’s not unrealistic to think we’re going to do the same or better than four years ago.”
Although Harrison failed to make the impact he hoped for in the professional ranks, his amateur success opened the door for the likes of Amir Khan, James DeGale and Joshua to become Olympians.
Today, the GB Boxing World Class Performance Programme develops and nurtures our top amateurs at the English Institute of Sport in Sheffield.
And Harrison is delighted the facilities on offer are worlds apart from those he and Olympic team-mate Courtney Fry experienced before heading Down Under.
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The Londoner, 44, added: “We’ve always been good, but in the past were under-prepared because the funding wasn’t there.
“That one gold medal opened the door to the World Class Performance Programme and all that funding.
“There’s no doubt about it, my gold paved the way for the facilities the guys have in Sheffield now.
“After the Commonwealth Games in 1998, where England got four golds and two bronze, that’s when I started the fight to try and get funding rather turn professional.
“I knew we needed the gold medal for the plans to be crystallised, so winning it secured that funding and is part of the reason we have all the success now.”
Following Harrison’s glory in Sydney, Khan won silver in Athens four years later and DeGale scooped gold at the Beijing Games in 2008.
But it was in London where the Brit pack, under the guidance of performance director McCracken, really made an impact.
Joshua, Luke Campbell and Adams all won gold, with Fred Evans claiming silver and Anthony Ogogo taking bronze.
Ten boxers competed in the capital and Harrison is optimistic of even better results with 12 challenging in Brazil.
He said: “There’s no weak link in the squad. Every one of those boxers going to the Olympics thinks they’re good enough to get a medal.
“With 12 boxers in Rio, there’s going to be a lot of spirit and camaraderie. They can all feed off each other.
“They’re going to be confident and success will breed success. It’s going to be good.”