Would he have been a HW great? All the raw attributes(minus the chin) Power, hand speed, heart, skills. Yes he can imho His KO of Sprott in his prime was fantastic
Audleys problem wasn't so much his chin it wasn't great but it wasn't always once punch that put him- its that he didn't let his hands go enough. Look at the 1st Danny Williams fight once he gets up from the 1st knockdown he unloads on Williams later in the fight and almost gets Danny out of there. Sprott 2 that punch would have ended most fights
Don't think he would have been a great he had lost on points back to back to Danny Williams and Dominick Guinn before he was ever knocked out and i think that was before he had got to his 20th fight. Personally just don't think the pro game suited him. Nice Guy though.
He just did not have the dedication and the toughness for the professional game. He thought it was going to be a "walk in the park" type of job to become world champion. Before he turned pro he was saying things like he could probably win the british title in his first fight. Talking about how he would be remembered as an ATG if he would be ahead of Frazier in the top 5 !!!! He could have been so much more, but I think he thought it was an easy job or a guaranteed career and he was just so much better than everyone. Well when he found out it was not that easy, or as straight forward as he maybe thought it would be
Not sure why you've got heart on that list, that was always his biggest problem for me. He was always terrified of being in a fight
They don't give Olympic medals away, he's got great skills as an amateur and the physical attributes as a pro. To an extent disrespected the sport early in his pro career, and what he expected didn't line up with his performances. Seems a lot more humble now than when he won the Olympics, when he was tolerated in the ABA system because of his talent; and his early self indulgent start to his pro career. If he showed the humility then which he shows now he could have had a really good career. Blew his chances in the pros because of his ego and belief that telling the world you are great means people won't want to hit you in the ring!!!
I like Auders but no way can this post go unchallenged Way too much was made of Audleys 'attributes'by Audley himself - interview after interview talking about all the "tools in the locker" and everything "clicking" or "not clicking" as the case may be. Audley was limited, in my view, because he over thought (and in fact overthinks) the whole sport. The focus on 'attributes' and 'tools' and 'this needing to click with that' etc... that's the very stuff that flattened his career. At some point I believe Audley could have done with a trainer to remind him that, at heart, he is about to have a fight - a prizefight - and as a 6ft6 black fella with a decent dig he should go into the ring with a bit of spite and try to smash the other chap on the jaw rendering someone unconscious. FIGHT. Not 'find your range' for 20 minutes or so throwing nothing then (latter years) get sparked before throwing a punch. Actually FIGHT. I think it didn't help Audley believing his own hype, that he was some kind of thinking mans boxer dependent on some confused set of variables all 'clicking' along with man-versus-world back story against the BBC. In any event, was he that slick? Not really. That fast? No - didn't throw enough in any event to make the speed pay. That powerful? Seems to have enough power, so yes. That much heart? In the ring I'm afraid that is questionable (in a strict boxing sense), as there was no consistency there - heart shown against brit level Sprott does not cancel out the freeze against Haye, Wilder, Price .. it means at most his attitude is inconsistent.
Re-iterating what others said, it wasn't issues with his chin... it's the fact he'd be so hesitant to engage then couldn't get shots off. Audley has at times shown some skills, which took him to Olympic gold... but on many occasions his performances have been down right dire.
unfortunately, going by fury's track record against big englishmen who can punch, he'd probably duck.