When prudence is perfect

Losses didn't stop La Motta fighting Cerdan for the title

By Sanjeev Shetty BBC Sport Online

Let me make it clear that I think Audley Harrison should have faced someone more demanding than Wade Lewis earlier this month.

But it is difficult to knock the way his manager Colin McMillan is guiding Harrison through the embryonic stages of his career, given the unpredictable nature of boxing.

I will not bore you with all those tired 'all it takes is one punch' clichés, but selecting the right opponent for an up and coming boxer is as much an art as the fighting itself.

Consider two examples from America this year that went horribly wrong.

First, there is the case of Francisco Bojado, a Mexican-American junior welterweight, who impressed during his first nine fights, all of which ended within two rounds.

Hatton's 'Freight Train' destiny

He was so good, BBC Sport Online profiled him as a future opponent for Ricky Hatton.

Suddenly considered a 'can't miss' prospect, Bojado stumbled to his first defeat against a journeyman by the name of Juan Carlos Rubio.

A Williams fight is too risky for Harrison right now

Bojado was exposed as a very hittable, poorly conditioned boxer who needs to regroup and learn a bit more about his trade before stepping up to the higher echelons.

At the age of 18, time is on his side, but every future article written about him will refer to his defeat to a man that no one had really heard of.

If you had had the opportunity to see American Tokunbo Olajide in action, you would have been forgiven for thinking that this prospect really was the real thing.

Olajide, whose brother Michael once challenged for the world middleweight title, had the power and pedigree to back up his reputation as one of boxing's future champions.

Enter Epifanio Mendoza, another undefeated puncher, who stripped Olajide of his perfect record within 146 seconds.

To make matters worse, Olajide, who was fighting for the 18th time as a pro, broke his ankle when he hit the canvas and might not fight for nine months.

At least Bojado was beaten on points - Olajide's knockout defeat will be brought up whenever he fights.

During the 1940s and 50s, undefeated records meant much less in boxing - Sugar Ray Robinson, Jake La Motta, Archie Moore and Joe Louis all lost before winning the titles that made them great.

But as television interest in the sport grew, undefeated records became more and more important. Fights were hyped up on the basis of a fighter's theoretically impressive form.

No Frank, you had four shots at the title

Only a few fighters have had the residual appeal to survive setbacks.

Perhaps the best example of this is Frank Bruno, who was found out by a then unknown James 'Bonecrusher' Smith, but managed to fight for the world title on four occasions, with only one of those being successful.

That said, there are many who believe Harrison's status as a top amateur should mean he has the ability to step up straight away.

But it should also be pointed out that amateurs generally lose plenty of fights without it affecting their long-term standing. Amateur fights come around more quickly than pro ones.

So the next time Harrison fights a clothing salesman from Boise, Idaho, it is not just because 'Our Audley' is not ready for the likes of Danny Williams.

It is because a £1m investment needs protection.