Boxing: Olympic champ's in a real political mess of his own making.

Byline: Barry McGuigan with Kevin Garside

THE simple ring of a bell will call Audley Harrison to attention this evening. It cannot come soon enough.

Be it by design or default, Harrison has succeeded in gaining maximum exposure for his fight with Michael Middleton. Rightly or wrongly Audley has decided to run his own show and as a result found himself up to his neck in boxing's political quagmire.

Contract disputes are certainly not what you need to be negotiating just 48 hours before your professional debut.

Matters inside the ring are taxing enough on these occasions, as I know only too well.

I made my professional debut in 1981 at Dublin's Dalymount Park on the undercard of a bill topped by Charlie Nash.

He was defending his European lightweight title against a rugged Australian with Italian nationality, and I was meeting a club fighter called Selvin Bell.

The weather was awful. Cold and wet. Not good in an open air venue.

The sparse crowd was huddled together in raincoats and I had plastic bags over my boots in an attempt to keep them dry.

Just as I was about to leave the dressing room, the TV floor guy came rushing in to inform me there was no time for my bout and that I would have to wait until the main event was over.

There went the chance of getting my debut over in time to settle down at ringside to watch the great Nash retain his crown.

Instead I had to sit in my gear and listen to a commentary of Nash being beaten almost to a pulp.

When I eventually got out and took off my gown I almost froze to death.

I had never boxed outside before and there I was without a vest, all for pounds 500.

Thankfully the fight went well. I knew Selvin would not be as competent a fighter as me, but I felt he would be physically tough.

My main concern was not to get tired, to pace myself in case it went the distance. When I caught him the first time he wobbled, but I was not sure if he was really feeling it or trying to lull me into a false sense of security.

However, when I hit him again and his eyes doubled in size, it was clear the game was up.

I got him out of there in a round and a half. He let out a roar when I connected to the body, and that was pretty much that.

I don't expect Audley to have much trouble with Middleton. His problems have all been out of the ring as a result of his prominence in the wider scheme of things.

Harrison arrives at the pro table as a millionaire-in-waiting, topping the bill on a show he is largely promoting himself, despite the assistance of official promoter Jess Harding and manager Colin McMillan.

There is simply no hiding place for him, and the critics are already waiting with sharpened pens.

If he punches the fellow out, it will be dismissed as a non-fight. If he goes the distance, the wise, old heads at ringside will say Harrison is not all he is cracked up to be.

Poor Audley. Unless he adds a world title to his Olympic gold, I suspect he might never win.

Interview: KEVIN GARSIDE