By Mark Staniforth, PA Sport

Audley Harrison can capitalise on his Olympic gold medal and go on to become world heavyweight champion within four years.

Frank Maloney, the man who guided Lennox Lewis from Olympic champion to world champion, believes Harrison has every chance of emulating the current king after watching him storm to glory in Sydney on Sunday morning.

Harrison has always signalled his plans to join the paid ranks after the Games and Maloney has no doubt he will have promoters queuing up at his front door.

"Audley Harrison is the future of British boxing," said Maloney, still Lewis' manager despite joining Frank Warren's Sports Network organisation.

"He is a bigger hero than any of our other Olympic heroes.

"Lennox Lewis and Naseem Hamed are not youngsters and there is no sign of any superstars other than young Richard Hatton.

"To win a gold medal will do the sport so much good press-wise and TV-wise and there will be a great knock-on effect."

Harrison could almost certainly command the approximate figure of £350,000 which Lewis earned upon turning professional following his super-heavyweight triumph in Seoul in 1988.

He has already turned down four offers to turn pro to chase Olympic glory and Maloney admitted: "He is a promoter's dream.

"He's very, very quick for a big guy, very clever, very shrewd - a very good operator.

"The thing I like about him is that he's planned his career himself. He said he would be Commonwealth champion and he made it. He said he would be Olympic champion and he made it. He says he will be world champion and I don't doubt it."

Harrison has taken years to analyse the controversial amateur boxing scoring system which calls for three of five judges to register a punch within a fraction of second for it to count.

It produces a style far removed from the professional sport but Maloney has no doubts again that Harrison can adapt to the paid ranks quickly.

Maloney added: "It won't happen overnight but there's not a great deal of heavyweights out there.

"He'd have to settle down. He's got the power and it's just a case of moulding him. He's definitely the best of the current crop."