Harrison ready for next step along world path

Audley Harrison's 12-month lay-off has not diminished his belief that he will one day become world heavyweight champion.

Harrison finally returns to the ring with a 10-round bout against American trial-horse Robert Davis in Temecula, California tomorrow night.

The 33-year-old has not fought since sustaining a serious knuckle injury in his win over Pole Tomasz Bonin last June.

Harrison said: "The wait is over and on June 9 people will realise I am ready to begin the next phase of my career that will end up with the heavyweight championship of the world.

"I feel in great shape, my fitness is excellent and my hand is fully healed. I always said 2005 would be the year I go for it.

"Coming back on national television in the United States is testament to the seriousness of what I plan to do."

Harrison, whose fight is being televised on the Fox Sports Network, can expect a reasonable test from Davis, who has been in with contenders Michael Grant, Joe Mesi and Lance Whitaker.

Davis has won 31 of his 37 fights, including 19 inside the distance, but has a suspect chin and has been flattened on each previous occasion he has stepped up in class.

Former Olympic champion Harrison knows he must avoid future lay-offs as he bids to make a belated surge into the heavyweight title picture.

Nor can he afford to look anything other than impressive against Davis with many expecting to discover whether Harrison still has what it takes to succeed.

Harrison, now based in Las Vegas, has had a dismal year with injury and the blow of his contract with the BBC not being renewed.

But compared with other heavyweight pretenders like Mesi - who is suspended following a brain scare - and the defeated Dominick Guinn, things are looking rosy.

And with the likes of John Ruiz still masquerading as a world heavyweight champion, Harrison's belief might still turn out to be more than simply idle boasts.

The Londoner can be expected to shake off the ring-rust with a useful battle against Davis in which his power should finally tell some time in the second half of the fight.