Newbridge’s Bradley Pryce is willing to end Frankie Gavin’s search for an opponent to defend his British and Commonwealth welterweight titles against at London’s Copper Box Arena on September 21st.
Gavin is one of Britain’s hottest prospect and GB’s only ever world amateur champion. The Birmingham southpaw shone in June, breaking Denton Vassell’s jaw on route to a seventh round stoppage and he appears to have scared off the rest of the division. However, Pryce is more than willing to step in to face Gavin and the Welshman has thrown his name in to the hat.
Pryce last appeared in London’s York Hall, weighing in his lightest for eight years and out-pointing Michael Lomax over eight rounds. In the 14th year as a professional and with 47 bouts under his belt, Pryce says he’s re-found his form under the guidance of new trainer Jamie Arthur and the time is right to fight Gavin.
He said, “I’m not going to bad mouth Gavin, he’s done everything asked of him and he’s looked exceptional doing it but I’d love a crack at his titles. No doubt Gavin would be one of the best of my opponents but I’m in a good place right now, I’m ready for him. I’m the only welterweight in Britain willing to fight Gavin, so if he wants to defend his titles then I’m not sure if he has any other options.
“I might not have an undefeated record to put against him but I’ve been in with everyone, even the best prospects all the way up at middleweight had hard nights against me. I’m doing things now I wish I’d been doing ten years ago and feeling better than I have for a long time, even than when I was Commonwealth champion.”
The 32-year-old was prepared to box in domestic title eliminators to earn his shot but the phone hasn’t rung and Pryce is prepared to step up to face Gavin who is also struggling to secure a final defence of his British title, which would see him own the historic Lonsdale belt forever.
Pryce said, “After I beat Lomax I thought it would put me back in the welterweight picture and get me an eliminator or something but all of these guys seem like they want to wait for Gavin to move on from domestic level before fighting each other.
“They’re waiting because they can have a title on the line for the same fight in a few months time, they’re young so they can afford to do nothing for now – I can’t. I can ask questions of Gavin, lots of people won’t believe in my ability but I do, I just need the chance to show it.”
“Gavin is on the brink of European and world level now, he’ll be looking at bigger names than me and that’s why I need to catch him before he gets there. It’s pretty simple, if he wants the British outright and I’m the only person who will fight him then it should happen.”
