By Ian Gordon, PA Sport, Gold Coast

Former British boxer Joe Bugner reckons super heavyweight hopeful Audley Harrison is on his way to millionaires row - even if he fails to win the Olympic gold medal.

Bugner, who has lived in Australia for the past 16 years, believes the 28-year-old is a serious Games contender in Sydney and will earn a massive pay-day with his first professional bout.

But whatever happens this month the 50-year-old, who lost his world heavyweight title challenge to Muhammad Ali, is convinced Harrison can go all the way to the top.

"If he wins the gold medal which he has every chance of doing, then he can expect to earn 100,000 pounds from just his first fight," said Bugner of the Londoner who will join the professional ranks after the Games.

"Everybody will want to see the Olympic champion. Even if he only got the silver medal he is going to be worth a fortune - millions.

"When you get silver, you can always make excuses especially about the judging. Any the way you can fix who you are fighting these days he could be a world champion in a couple of years."

Bugner, who made the short trip from his home in Surfer's Paradise to watch Harrison at his pre-Games training camp on Queensland's Gold Coast, added: "He is a very tall fighter and obviously very talented.

"If he is as good as he claims he is, then he will go far. He is not too old to be turning professional at 28, not these days anyway. Look at Lennox Lewis - how old is he, 36 or 37?"

Harrison has turned down several lucrative offers to turn professional in the past to pursue his Games dream.

And he is convinced he is destined to become Britain's first Olympic champion since Chris Finnegan struck middleweight gold in Mexico in 1968.

"The Olympics is something that I have set as a goal since I won the Commonwealth Games," said Harrison, victorious in Kuala Lumpur two years ago, though beaten at the worlds in Texas last year.

"The World Championships is something I would have liked to have grasped, but it wasn't on my agenda. But the Olympics is - the gold is something that I have wanted, dreamed about and visualized many times.

"I honestly believe that it is my destiny so I am going to the Olympics fully focused and I just can't wait for it."

The Sports Studies and Leisure Management graduate from the University of Brunel believes his defeat at the worlds when he expected to bring home gold will prove a vital learning experience for Sydney.

"I blame myself for that. No-one else really - just me not being focused or professional and believing the hype," admitted Harrison, who has won 43 and lost nine of his 52 amateur bouts.

"But I think not winning a medal at the worlds has done me a favour. I was not too far off last year, but I believe I am 30 to 40 per cent fitter, stronger and better than I was last year.

"I came fifth in the world championships last year and I only lost 4-3 to the guy who went on to win it.

"I know I have always had the talent, but as you move up the rankings then you need to acquire experience and sometimes that means losing.

"I think it has done me a favour in terms of keeping my feet on the ground, keeping focused."

Harrison is one of only two Brits competing at the Games with the Repton Boys Club in London also providing the other hopeful in Courtney Fry.

The 25-year-old Fry, though, could be forgiven for letting his mind wander from his bid for gold in the Light Heavyweight category with girlfriend, Lisa, expecting their first child back home in Liverpool.

The baby was initially expected on October 9 - one week after the Olympics finish - but the couple have since been told delivery could come bang in the middle of the Games programme.

"I want to be there to see my first child born, but Lisa knows what the Olympics means to me and wants me to do well," said Fry, also considering turning professional after the Games.

"Hopefully, she can hang on until I get home! As soon as I get off the plane I'll drive up to Liverpool to be with her."

Britain's boxing chiefs have left nothing to chance in aiding the duo's final preparations having had the only Olympic sized-ring outside of Sydney built at a police sports complex on the Gold Coast.

Two sparring partners and a professional boxer have also been flown out from London while both will face local professionals before they head for Sydney.