Adams says he sees fear in Harrison
Ali Adams believes Audley Harrison is feeling the pressure ahead of their heavyweight clash this Saturday.
It will be Harrison’s first fight since he lost a one-sided world title bout against David Haye in November 2010 – a performance he says was caused by a pectoral injury.
Underdog Adams, who was born in war-torn Iraq and now lives in Chelsea, insists he will end the former Olympic champion’s career and that Harrison, 40, does not have the stomach for a battle.
“When I stand face-to-face I can see his eyes shaking – his confidence is knocking down,” Adams, 30, told West London Sport.
“I don’t see a guy who’s hungry. My hunger is going to take care of everything.
“Age is of course catching up [with Harrison] and playing with his head. He got knocked out in his fight with David Haye. I believe he’s got no confidence whatsoever.
“If he’s got the confidence and has done the training then that would be amazing, because I want it to be a great fight.
“I don’t want people to say ‘Ali Adams knocked him out because Audley’s finished’. I want them to say ‘Audley and Ali Adams had a really good fight and Ali Adams deserved to win.’”
The fight is a massive opportunity for Adams, who knows a victory could take his career to another level.
It also takes place exactly a year after the death of his father.
Adams said: “This is my dream. I wish my father was next to me watching. I believe his soul is watching up there. I’m going to do it for him.
“I’m fighting for people who’ve got no chance in life. This is my chance, my opportunity, my time.
“When you get an opportunity like this you can’t let it go. You have to give 100%. I’d rather die than lose to him.”
And Adams, who left Baghdad as a youngster, laughed off Harrison’s claim to have “come from the streets” of north-west London and to have worked his way up the hard way.
“I’ve seen the war, the bombs and all that when I was a child,” said Adams.
“Him growing up on the streets? That means nothing. He could never go on the streets of Iraq.
“Most of the people you know get killed or kidnapped. I had to had to fight through life to get where I am today. This is my time.”
The much-criticised Harrison is typically confident about his chances, claiming that he is now fully fit and ready to produce his best.
A defeat this weekend would be the sixth of his career and surely bring about his retirement.
A win, however, could put him in line for a shot at the likes of Liverpool prospect David Price.
Harrison declared: “After the David Haye fight I think a lot of people thought it would be the last of Mr A-Force. They thought it would be over.
“The guy that’s turning up on Saturday is the guy that most people know and that 90% of the time whose performances have been above average.
“When it matters I turn up and I do a job. And come Saturday night, Mr Adams, I will be turning up to do a job, so all the talk you’ve been doing – let’s hope you believe it.
“I’m ready to turn the clock back. You’re going to see something special. I’m back.
“The reason I’ve come back and haven’t retired is because this part of the journey is about Audley finding himself. This is about my legacy. This is about my journey.”
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