Home Boxing News David Price reflects on Dereck Chisora loss, says he wants to fight...

David Price reflects on Dereck Chisora loss, says he wants to fight again

David Price. Photo credit: Jan Kruger/Getty Images

British heavyweight David Price has reflected on his loss to Dereck Chisora and revealed he wants to go around again.

The former British and Commonwealth champion was stopped in four rounds by Chisora last October.

“About 11-12 days before the fight, I sprained my wrist in sparring, hitting the top of Dave Allen’s head,” Price, 36, told Sky Sports.

“I had to get an x-ray, go and sit at the hospital. I got stressed out. I was worried for the next couple of days, tired, moody and then I was under the weather and started picking up a cold.

“My plan was to stay calm and not expend too much energy because I was coming in at short notice. I probably should have just gone hell for leather.

“Dereck just closed the distance too quickly. I didn’t have time to get ready. My legs weren’t right. He kept catching me on the inside, wearing me down.”

“Even with a full training camp and everything going well, it would have been really hard for me.

“They say styles make fights and Dereck’s style is difficult for me. He’s got that low centre of gravity and just keeps coming, he’s relentless.

“I was reluctant to take the Chisora fight because I felt like I deserved a fight like that with adequate notice. I’d had a great year putting domestic fighters in their place.”

Price was moved quickly in the pro ranks after a quality amateur career that saw him win gold at the 2006 Commonwealth Games and a bronze medal at the 2008 Olympics in the super heavyweight division.

Back-to-back knockout losses to Tony Thompson in 2013 took some shine off his potential.

“I struggled to recover from that,” Price continued. “Because of the stigma of losing, if you’re a fighter you can’t accept that you might lose. But everyone can lose. Because you’re thinking, ‘I can’t afford to lose,’ you tense up, use more energy and make more mistakes.

“I know all this now because I’ve spoken to a top sports psychologist. It’s only the past 18 months or so that I’ve realised you must train your mind as well as your body. I wish I’d have done it sooner, but you can’t change that.

“Some people are just different. The people who succeed at the very top in sport are less likely to overthink.

“The fans opinions have become more important because through social media they can speak directly to promoters – and promoters listen. I know Eddie Hearn does. I think the stigma of losing is going, it has to if people want the best fights.”

With fellow Brits Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury currently holding all of the major heavyweight titles, Price says he isn’t surprised by the heavyweight resurgence.

“I always said when the Klitschkos retired it was going to be interesting. And it is, they are so many exciting heavyweights here and in America, and all should get their chances,” he said.

“The [Joe] Joyce and [Daniel] Dubois fight. I’m really looking forward to that. More than any fight for a long time. I think Joyce, in particular, is going to be hard for anyone to beat. The gas he’s got, his size and strength.

“Dubois is the cleaner of the two, but if Joe gets past the first couple of rounds, it’s hard to stay with him. Dubois can come again, he’s a baby really.

“It could be like James DeGale against George Groves, they met early and both went on to be world champions.”

Price is realistic bout his own future in the sport, saying he just wants to get back in the winner’s circle.

“I just want to be competing again, I enjoy the feeling of winning,” he said.

“Titles and stuff have probably gone. The problem is in boxing, if you get a couple of wins, other things might happen. There’s always the potential for the phone to ring.”