It doesn’t seem so long ago that David Price was being touted as the next big thing in British heavyweight boxing, tipped for the top ahead of domestic rival Tyson Fury, who now finds himself challenging Wladimir Klitschko for 3/4 of the world heavyweight crown in October, just a few short months after Price himself was iced by Erkan Teper in 2 rounds in Germany, the 3rd brutal KO loss of his career – How times change.
The man who now finds himself carrying the next generation of heavyweight hopes is Olympic gold medalist Anthony Joshua, currently unblemished with 13 straight knockouts from as many fights, and is well accustomed to the pressure that Price felt on his shoulders before running into wily old American veteran Tony Thompson. “AJ” doesn’t think this latest loss has to spell the end.
“If you win, you get one reaction, if you lose you get another. It’s just part and parcel of the game. That’s heavyweight boxing. It’s a different league in itself. But I remember for sure (when) everyone was bigging him up,” Joshua said via boxingnewsonline.net, website of the respected British publication.
“Klitschko got beat three times and he came back and reigned 10 years,” he added.
“I believe Price can come back but he has to make some very, very dramatic changes if he wants to do it and really give his life to the sport.”
Yet if the Scouser does call it a day, then Joshua, who fights Gary Cornish for the Commonwealth title on September 12th, thinks he can still look back with pride after capturing British and Commonwealth homours himself in 2012.
“He’s a British level heavyweight, he done well,” Joshua added. “Not everyone’s going to be a Muhammad Ali, not everyone’s going to be a Mike Tyson. Not every footballer’s going to be a Ronaldo, but he’s good at his level. Price is good at his level and if that’s where he is, he’s done well.”
Twitter @Undilutedpoison
