After the disastrous outing in Germany, against Erkan Teper, I’d like to share my thoughts on David Price.
Given the hype and KO power shown by Price in his early career and the fact that his name warrants such interest, throughout the article I judge and compare Price against the top prospects in the heavyweight division, not against the average.
Beginnings
Starting his amateur career with Long Lane ABC before moving onto Salisbury ABC Price amassed an impressive amateur record. His record in the unpaid ranks included becoming the youngest ever super-heavyweight ABA champion at the age of just 19, a gold medal in the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth games and a bronze in the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. Price has always shown that he has brutal knock-out power, but less well circulated is the fact that he has also shown that he can get knocked down on a fairly frequent basis.
Even in success at the Commonwealth games, Price was put down a staggering three times against Indian Varghese Johnson. This was with a head-guard and heavy gloves don’t forget. Price did show amazing recuperative abilities to go on to win the contest, but the warning signs were there.
Turning pro
After failing to win the gold in Beijing Price made the decision to turn professional in 2009. Despite the poor records of his early opponents Price started to impress scoring 9 stoppage victories against his first ten opponents, rarely looking troubled. Price’s huge 6’8 frame keeping smaller competitors at bay with a strong jab, finishing them with massive right hands.
Progression
Price’s 11th fight was his first real step up, taking on the unbeaten and powerful Tom Dallas. Price made a real statement knocking him out late in the second.
Next up was the rotund battler John McDermott for the British title. McDermott had caused problems for many prospects over the years but as with Dallas, Price had no issues, stopping him just over a minute into the contest.
Next up was Sam Sexton, again a well-regarded fighter, again Price used his attributes well and stopped his competitor in the fourth. This time adding the Commonwealth belt to his British title.
Two more destructions followed, Audley Harrison stopped early in the first and Matt Skelton late in the second.
Without doubt Price was looking like the real deal at this stage of his career and certainly looked to be ready to step up to the next level.
However, it was not known how Price would cope against someone who could absorb his power, nor was it known how Price would cope if caught himself, nor what his stamina levels were like.
Tony Thompson
Fight One
Retrospectively this was a poor and risky piece of matchmaking by the then Frank Maloney, Price’s promoter. Thompson only had three losses on his record, one being in the early stages of his career, the other two coming against the mighty Wladamir Klitschko, Thompson being fresh off the second of those defeats. Thompson was known for being a tricky southpaw and known to have decent power, power enough to take out most heavyweights with a clean connection anyway.
In defence of Maloney Thompson did look particularly poor against Wlad in the second bout. Thompson was aging and the time was certainly right for Price to step up. Thompson was a big enough name to draw the crowds in and also to get the interest of other World level fighters, governing bodies and promotional teams. Ultimately Maloney and Price himself thought he had enough to overcome Thompson and move onto the next level.
Late in the second Price was caught behind his left ear and was heavily dropped. He staggered back to his feet but there was no way the referee could allow him to continue. Thompson, the big outsider in this one jubilant in victory.
Aftermath
At the time the media and boxing fans (Myself included) seemed to lean towards this defeat being a shock, freak occurrence. This is heavyweight boxing after all and any 17st plus bloke who can connect with a decent punch has the power to knock someone out. This has happened to many great fighters, look at the first Lewis vs Rahman fight. The punch landing behind the ear and therefore unbalancing Price, giving him no hope of recovery further added to feeling that this was a one-off.
Fight Two
As with the first fight, retrospectively thinking, getting Price straight back in for a rematch looks to have been a poor and risky piece of matchmaking.
Again in defence of Maloney though, the first fight was noted was widely regarded as a one-off and surely couldn’t be repeated. It wasn’t as if Price had, had a beating prior to the stoppage, it was literally a single punch, in a very unusual and damaging area.
A one-off it wasn’t to be.
The second fight, again at the Echo Arena in Liverpool less than five months after the first bout ended in even worse circumstances for Price than the first.
Price actually started the fight well. He pressurised Thompson, knocking him down in the second and looking to be one good punch away from victory. That wasn’t to be. Price started to blow heavily late in the third and Thompson started to get through with some nice uppercuts, Price looking in real trouble in the fourth. There seemed to be no energy left in the tank for Price in the fifth, with Thompson landing a barrage of shots, Price backed up into a corner. Price was given a standing eight count that he couldn’t recover from and disaster had well and truly struck.
Aftermath II
Maloney was in tears at ringside after the fight, blaming himself for Price’s demise. Clearly something was not right with Price. The optimistic assessment of the first defeat being due to a lucky punch was firmly confined to history.
This was no defeat due to a lucky punch, but the inability of Price to put Thompson away after his initial success and more importantly due to Price’s complete lack of stamina.
In the space of five months Price had gone from world title contender to facing the end of his career. Thompson had shown himself to be a tough competitor prior to facing Price, but he was also considered to be a fighter that Price had to defeat to stand any chance at the highest level.
Rebuild
Price split with Maloney following the second Thompson defeat and joined the German Sauerland stable. It looked like a new beginning, a second chance for Price.
He made his first appearance for Sauerland in early 2014 with a confidence boosting first round TKO victory over Istvan Ruzsinszky. A further third round KO victory followed three months later over Ondrej Pala. Price was out again two months later fighting to a one-sided ten round UD against Yaroslav Zavorotny. Price then was out until February this year when he stopped Irineu Beato Costa Junior in six.
Next up for Price was a first step towards possible redemption, an opportunity to show the world that the Thompson defeats were out of his system and he was a real contender fighting Erkan Teper for the vacant EBU heavyweight title.
EBU Challenge
Following the Thompson defeats Price had started appearing ringside for a number of televised fights. This enabled him to start to talk through his defeats and started to convince the boxing world that he was back, more focused than before and ready take on the world. He was talking up fights against Fury, Joshua and other similarly ranked contenders.
Erkan Teper was undefeated going into this one and had an impressive KO %, however he was physically much smaller and shorter than Price and his record wasn’t exactly littered with household names.
Title Fight
Price didn’t look right from the first bell. He was pawing the smaller man with his jab, with Teper walking through Price’s defences landing some good shots. Even Price’s facial expressions didn’t look right. Teper cut Price with a crisp shot late in the first.
The second started in much the same way as the first, the Price simply not throwing his jab with the power or frequency to keeper Teper at bay. Teper pushed Price back into a corner and caught him with a big, looping, powerful left hand that finished Price off.
Next?
Price’s fighting style, appearance and ultimate defeat all pointed to a man that didn’t want to be there. As a spectator I felt sick, never mind what Price himself must’ve been feeling.
I’ve always been a big fan of Price’s and as mentioned at the start of this article I’m not judging him against average fighters, I’m judging him against the best, because of the way his career started and his physical attributes. Given the way his comeback was progressing and the way he was talking I really didn’t think he’d have much of a problem beating Teper.
Perhaps I’m underrating Teper? Maybe, maybe, but I don’t think that’s the issue. If Price had come in against Teper, thrown strong, powerful jabs to keep him at bay, then he was caught, then maybe, but Price simply did not look like he wanted to be in the ring. He knew, as everyone else did that this was his big chance, at a second chance and I believe that the pressure was too much.
It was a very poor showing from someone with so much potential.
What is next for David Price remains to be seen. Cleary retirement is an option. I think the next step must boil down to what Price really wants. He needs to take a good look at his goals in life and if he chooses to continue in the ring he must make changes. Perhaps employing the services of a sport psychologist would be a good first step, to get his mind set right and to try to take away the debilitating doubts he is clearly suffering. I would suggest that he needs to get away from the hometown pressures of Liverpool and dedicate his life to the sport, with the right team. His route back into contention will be a slow one and he will have to be patient, but it is still a possibility, if things change.
Unfortunately it’s unavoidable to compare Price with Audley Harrison. Harrison had reached even higher amateur heights but never really transferred those skills into the professional sport. The similar tentative pawing style seems to be something that Price has adapted. Audley continued to fight following multiple setbacks and is now reportedly suffering significant health issues as a result of his KO defeats. This is something no one would want to see Price go through.
Conclusion
Price looked to be the next big-thing in the heavyweight division, building up a superb opening run capturing the British and Commonwealth titles. He is a good boxer and has achieved far more than most will dream of in the sport. However, due to his start and due to his perceived potential he is judged against the best and so far, unfortunately he has fallen significantly short of the highest level.
The indications of his weaknesses may well have been there since his amateur days. He clearly is carrying psychological scars from the Thompson fights and now will also be carrying the baggage of the Teper fight.
He still has a very powerful punch but, in my opinion, should only continue in the sport if he has the genuine self-belief and vitally, the desire to still reach the highest level. He also needs to accept that his current set-up is clearly not the right one for him and needs to make significant changes.
If he does not have that genuine belief and desire then I believe that he should move on in life and retire from the sport.
No one wants to see such a nice individual, an individual who gives a lot to those around him take unnecessary damage and end up with serious health problems.
Price can still walk away from the sport with his head held high and be proud of what he has achieved.
All the best David.
