Poker News

AUDLEY Harrison has signed a professional contract with Full Tilt Poker.

The 38-year-old, who will fight David Haye for the WBA Heavyweight title next month, has been studying the game in Las Vegas where he has won more than $200,000.

And now the Londoner has admitted he plans to take up the game full time when he retires from boxing.

Harrison, who won gold at the Sydney Olympics in 2000, said: "I was living in America and found it good that I could just play and learn the game and nobody knew who I was.

"I could develop as a player, get competent and not have the pressure of people in England knowing I played.

"My career is a pro boxer but I classify myself as a semi pro poker player. I didn’t want to get it mixed up in the media and the public eye, so I thought I would keep it quiet until the time was right."

Harrison will wear the Full Tilt logo in the ring for all future fights, including his clash against Haye in Manchester on November 13.

He will also represent the company in major tournaments, such as the World Series of Poker, as a fully-fledged pro.

He added: "I’m ready to play with any of the pros, I know most of their styles and I believe I can hold my own.

"I have a varied game, a mixed style, I’m very hard to read, I know how to read my opponents, I understand the statistics, implied odds, pot odds etc- the whole game, so I’m ready."

Harrison’s promoter and keen poker player Eddie Hearn said: "I have heard it a hundred times from sportsmen and celebrities who think they can play the game but very few can, Audley is certainly in that small number.

“I watched him come close to winning the deep stack event at the Venetian in July and I think he has a big tournament result in his locker.

"The partnership with Full Tilt is an exciting one and I know Audley will be a great ambassador for the brand.”

But Harrison, who is currently training flat-out for his world title fight, has stopped himself from playing poker until after the highly-anticipated clash.

He told Pokernews: "Poker is banned, by me. It requires my attention and boxing is my life.

"David [Haye] is coming across like a little egotistical prat and is rubbing people up the wrong way. He knows he is gonna be in the fight of his life, I guarantee it’s gonna be man against boy, master against student.

"When I finish the journey it’s going to be the greatest comeback in British sport, it’s gonna be a movie, you couldn’t write this story."

* David Haye vs Audley Harrison takes place on November 13 at the MEN Arena and is live on Sky Box Office