By David Field, PA Sport Boxing Correspondent, Sydney

It is hard not to notice Audley Harrison as he strolls hugely around Sydney's Olympic Village.

And a new hair-do adds a vivid dome to the big man counting down to his big moment.

His gimmick at the Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur was a head lined with gold and black stripes, a tiger-tint. The gold medal came his way.

Now Harrison sports a more tufty-type of coiffure, bright colours, perhaps the rainbow to lead him to more precious gold.

But from now on until he gets down to serious business next Saturday, that visual distinction will be all Audley will be offering in terms of personal projection.

Special T-shirts to be worn by the Harrison family and friends in Sydney will pronounce starkly: 'The Time For Talking Has Stopped'.

The medal candidate promises zero oratory at least until after his crucial super-heavyweight first round clash with Russia's Alexeii Lezin.

"It's all about doing what I'm here to do,"said Harrison before his vow of silence.

"I believe it's my destiny, I've said it's my destiny, when I'm in that zone I'm focused."

Lezin outscored Harrison in the first Olympic qualifying tournament in Finland a year ago. A far from ideal first round pairing, many might reason from those events of 12 months ago.

But this is a new Audley. "I've got an interesting draw, some people say it's bad. But there are going to be no easy draws anywhere. I've got the Russian first up, who a lot of people have got tipped as the favourite," he said.

"I've studied him for two years; I saw him in the Europeans in 1998, I lost to him last year, but all the people in my side of the draw I've seen. I'm aware of what I've got to do to win. I'm still optimistic, I'm still very positive.

"I believe he'll box similar to the way he boxed me last year, and think he'll be foolhardy to believe I'll box him the way I did last time.

"The Audley Harrison of 1999 and the Audley Harrison of 2000 are not completely different, but I'm a better model in terms of my fitness and my speed.

"I've won six gold medals in boxing. I know I'm world class, I've beaten world-rated opponents. Obviously I've had my disappointments, but they've come at the right time. Everything is for a reason.

"The world championships last year brought me down to earth, and made me re-focus on what I was doing wrong, that was a bonus for me really.

"I always say talent will take you so far, but you need to acquire experience, and that's happened through my career. I've got to the top very quickly, and then I've lost a couple of times, my talent got me there.

"I wouldn't have wanted any other way. If people write me off that's fine, I'm not worried about what other people think."

Harrison admits Lennox Lewis is his role model, and recently took advice from the world heavyweight champion. If Harrison does make history and land the gold, his dream would be to follow the same path Lewis has trodden so richly and successfully.

He said: "Lennox wanted to know if the press were criticising me and if they were what were they saying. I actually chuckled, 'well it's quite similar to what they say about you.'

"He said 'look where I am and believe in what you've got because it's got you this far, use your strengths in the Olympics and you should be able to deliver the goods.'

"His way is the tried and tested way, he's done the Olympics, the Commonwealth Games, achieved every goal he could set for himself as an amateur and professional."