Harry Garside has delivered a simple message to those hardcore boxing fans who, he says, are predicting failure for his hyped return to the professional ranks, stressing: “I know who I am”.
Almost three years to the day since his last pro bout – which doubled as an Australian lightweight title defence – Garside is now finally returning fulltime from the amateurs on Wednesday night’s No Limit pay-per-view showcase.
Fighting as the co-main for undefeated Australian world title contender Sam Goodman, 27-old Garside is also looking to take on not only tough Queensland prospect Charlie Bell -- aka The Moranbah Mauler -- but those critics questioning his return following that 2024 Paris Olympic heartbreak.
Asked on fight eve about the pressure surrounding his return, Garside said: “I think naturally we always put a lot of pressure on ourselves.
“But I know who I am.
“There’s a lot of people out there in the boxing world who may not like me.
“And that’s fine.
“You’re not going to please everyone with what you do.
“But at the same time, I’m the man in the arena having a red hot crack.
“And win, lose or draw, I’m in the arena having a red hot crack while they’re in their rooms critiquing me.
“I also know there are so many Australians who support me and I’m going to try my best and listen to them over the next 24 hours.
“And of course, in the future of my career.”
After initially rising to fame as a Commonwealth Games gold medalist, and then winning Olympic bronze, Garside has since become one of the sport’s most recognisable faces – while also appearing on TV shows like ‘I’m a Celebrity … Get Me Out Of Here’.
At the 2024 Paris Games however, one of the team’s most popular athletes was bundled out in the opening round, and afterwards conducted an emotional interview in which he spoke of having “let Australia down”.
Yet now on the eve of his professional comeback, the Sydney-based slugger has spoken of returning to the ring as part of his bid to regain respect, grow as a man … and go win himself a world title.
“And it’s good to be back,” Garside said after Tuesday’s weigh-ins.
“In fight week, you feel the full spectrum of what it means to be human.
“So I can’t wait for the next 24 hours.
“Just to feel that rollercoaster of emotions that will go through my body.
“The hard part is done, now I get to enjoy the process.”
Pushed on his return, Garside continued: “I feel more mature as a person.
“I don’t think the last time I was professional, I had a handle on how quickly the world was coming at me.
“I got distracted by so many things.
“But it’s nice now.
“I feel more mature, less distractions in my life.
“I’m just focused on trying to get that respect back as an athlete.
“Fingers crossed I can do that over the next few years.”
Garside conceded his Olympic failure likely did “play into me losing respect for myself”.
“So I think over the next two or three years I want to gain that respect back,” he continued.
“That’s the focus.”
Any lingering scars from Paris?
“There are always going to be scars there,” he conceded.
“But the only way out is through.
“You can sit in your bedroom and cry about things, but the only way out is through.
“And that’s why I’m back.
“To try and get that respect back for myself.
“Ideally, I want to win a world title.
“That’s the focus over the next few years … try and grow into the best athlete I can be and best man.”
