Audley Harrison

Former Olympic boxer, Audley Harrison set records for England as a professional in his division. A title challenger, and Prizefighter winning boxer, Harrison enjoyed a prolific heavyweight career, where he dominated the ring with his 6 foot 5.5 inch height and unparalleled reach of 86 inches. Now making regular appearances in the mainstream media, Harrison’s platform has expanded beyond boxing fans, and his experiences on the small screen lends itself to after dinner speaking engagements.

With 31 wins from 28 fights, with an impressive 23 by knockout, Harrison’s professional record is one of the greatest in British boxing. The first boxer in the country to sign a direct broadcast deal, Harrison was signed by the BBC Sport for 10 fights, after turning professional in 2001. A determined and fearless fighter, Harrison challenged the World title, International Masters Championship and Commonwealth title throughout his career, as a skilful southpaw stance boxer. Victory came in the form of two Prizefighter tournament wins, in 2009 and 2013, the first in the sport to secure a duo of wins, and in 2010 with the European Boxing Union heavyweight title.

An amateur career that showed no amateur skills, Harrison trained at the Repton Boxing Club and gained the British Super Heavyweight title in 1997 and went on to maintain champion status when challenged a year later. By 1998, Harrison had proven his superiority in the sport by winning the 1998 Commonwealth Games gold for England, and in the process, securing international acclaim. An honour for any athlete, Harrison was selected to represent Great Britain at the Sydney Olympics in 2000, the pinnacle of this amateur career. Taking to the podium on the global stage, Harrison was the first British boxer to win gold in the Olympic super heavyweight division, and for his unparalleled results, he was awarded an MBE.

Since retiring in 2014, Harrison has maintained his public profile, diversifying his career to to involve a number of media appearances. From Strictly Come Dancing to Celebrity Big Brother and Celebrity Masterchef, the demand to see the successful boxer take to the small screen is evident, and his iconic status in British sporting makes him a popular choice for reality television. Due to his vast platform and high profile career, Harrison is also called on to share entertaining after dinner talks, with event guests, discussing his life story in depth.