Olympic bronze medallist David Price has warned trash-talking rival Tyson Fury that his taunts may land him in trouble with the lanky Liverpudlian – for a second time. Professor Price dealt Fury a one side-sided amateur defeat in 2006, and now, with both men gunning for glory as professionals, a second meeting between the pair appears a natural. Price welcomes the challenge. “He’s (Fury) had three professional fights and is already talking as if he’s won three world titles,” says Price, who beat Fury 22-8 in the unpaid ranks. “He gave me some stick the other day and I haven’t even had a pro fight yet. To be honest, I’ve heard it all before from this guy, and if he hasn’t learnt his lesson from the last time he shouted his mouth off to me he never will..
“He was only 14 the last time I boxed him – or so he keeps saying. He seems to get younger and younger each time I hear him mention our fight. Someone’s also told him that he flattened me and had me hanging on for dear life. I’m not sure whether he’s just stupid or there’s something wrong with his memory, but it’s probably a case of both, to be honest.”
As one can now appreciate, Fury didn’t drop Price in their previous meeting, and he didn’t have the three-time ABA champion wobbling on unsteady stems, either.
“I remember absolutely bullying him in the first round and then being so far ahead at the end of the first round that the rest of it was a walk in the park,” recalls Price, who makes his pro debut on March 28 in Liverpool.
“If I had boxed him now, I’d have stepped on the gas and knocked him out whenever I wanted to. I was that far ahead and that dominant. I just played with him for every round.
“To be honest, though, I can’t boast too much about beating a 14-year-old kid who’d never laced on a pair of gloves before. It wasn’t even a big fight for me. He was just a mouthy kid who won an ABA title, and didn’t even do that particularly impressively.”
Understanding of Fury’s desire to get noticed, Price is nevertheless bewildered as to why his ex-amateur rival has already called out the majority of the heavyweight division.
“He’s beaten three ‘bums’ and suddenly thinks he’s some kind of superstar,” adds Price. “He hasn’t beaten anything like the competition I did in the amateurs and hasn’t achieved even half of what I did.
“I’m not impressed with the physical shape he’s in or his punching power. He’s boxing live on ITV4 and yet he can’t be bothered to get his body in any kind of shape.”
Ultimately, Price welcomes the invitation to help build one of the more interesting domestic heavyweight rivalries for a few years.
“It’s good and is all part of the game,” admits Price. “He can say what he wants. I’m just starting to think he has an unhealthy obsession with me. He’s been stalking me since our amateur days. Maybe I should send him a picture of me for his bedroom wall or something. Either that or issue a restraining order.
“I think they’re looking to push Tyson Fury the name as hard and as quickly as possible because there really isn’t much substance there. He doesn’t have any pedigree and I don’t think he’ll have much longevity, either.”
Whenever it may be that Fury reaches British title class, Price will be there with him, more than willing to hand Tyson a shot at revenge.
“I’d love to meet Fury in a British title fight over the 12-round distance,” says Price. “From what I’ve seen, he doesn’t train very hard and he just looks like one of those typical lazy and overweight heavyweights. We’ll see how he copes with me over 12 rounds. I guarantee I’m a bigger puncher than Tyson Fury. He knows that, too. He remembers.”
*** Olympic bronze medallist David Price’s eagerly awaited professional debut forms part of the undercard to HAYEMAKER 6: ‘The Mersey Beatdown’ on March 28 at Liverpool’s Echo Arena. Headlining the show will be the all-Liverpool British title showdown between Tony Dodson and Tony Quigley.
*** To purchase tickets to HAYEMAKER 6: ‘The Mersey Beatdown’ visit www.accliverpool.com or call 0844 8000 400.
*** HAYEMAKER 6: ‘The Mersey Beatdown’ will be screened live and exclusively by Setanta Sports.
Burns Ready For Gomez
Body art fan Ricky Burns is planning his latest tattoo – a knocked out Michael Gomez. Commonwealth super-featherweight champion Burns will make the second defence of his title in Glasgow on March 27 against hard-hitting veteran Gomez. Sky Sports televise live. And the 25-year-old is so confident of victory he has devised a unique way of celebrating it. “I’ve been working with my tattooist on a design to mark my win,” said Burns. “It’s Gomez after I’ve knocked him out! I had a tattoo done after I won the Commonwealth title, my first major professional belt, and I’ll get one to remember the Gomez fight by as well.”
Burns, from Coatbridge, Scotland, has a 25-2 (6) record and is unbeaten in 10 fights.
And he says he is planning more tattoo designs to commemorate different stages of his boxing career.
“After I’ve beaten Gomez, I want to clean up domestically,” he added.
“My two targets are British champion Kevin Mitchell, and former world champion Nicky Cook.
“I’ve been after Mitchell for a while but I’m not sure he wants the fight.
“With all the wins and tattoos I’ve got planned, I might have to go up a few weight divisions to fit them all on my body!”
Watson promising Knockout Performance
Craig Watson is determined to make boxing fans sit up and take notice by knocking out John O’Donnell when they contest the Commonwealth Welterweight title in London next month. The two clash in front of the ITV4 cameras on a Hennessy Sports show at the York Hall on April 11th and Watson is forecasting an early night.
Despite winning the Commonwealth title in 2007 Watson remains best known to many boxing fans for dumping Amir Khan on the canvas in the amateurs but he’s determined to add another stoppage win to his highlight reel next month against O’Donnell.
“I feel I’m still a little bit under the radar and I’m definitely an underrated fighter,” said the 26-year-old. “This is a good chance for me to prove just how good I am with a big fight live on TV. O’Donnell’s a very good boxer but he hasn’t been in with anyone like me and I honestly believe I’ll walk right through him.
“I’m feeling as strong as an ox, I’m throwing 400 punches a round in training and I think I’m going to outwork him, out muscle him and stop him early on. I’ve watched him and he’s got good hand speed but he’s not very strong and that’s my department.
“I’ve been working on applying controlled pressure and I don’t think he’ll be able to withstand that. I’ve beaten decent fighters like Ali Nuumbembe, Michael Lomax and Matthew Hatton but he hasn’t really beaten anyone yet.”
Watson’s career has been stop start of late with a number of recent fights falling through. However despite having not fought since a comprehensive win over Matthew Hatton last May he doesn’t believe ring rust will be an issue.
“Being out of the ring for almost a year isn’t ideal obviously but I’ve had very good sparring for this one so my timing feels spot on right now. It’s been a frustrating time for me with fights falling through. I’ve had bad news after bad news but I’m raring to go for this one. I’ve trained like a demon for it and I’m just itching to get in there now.”
The all southpaw battle will have fight fans split down the middle in what on paper looks to be a real 50 – 50 affair but Watson says he has no problems fighting a fellow “lefty”. “Michael Lomax is a tall southpaw just like O’Donnell and I beat him easy. I bashed him up over 8 rounds and he went on to win Prizefighter after that. I was really just a light welterweight back then but I’ve matured and grown into the weight now and feel a whole lot stronger now. This is a real chance for me to shine and take my career to the next level.
Watson v O’Donnell headlines a fantastic line-up of championship boxing at the legendary York Hall in Bethnal Green. In the chief support bout Lenny Daws meets Peter McDonagh for the English Light Welterweight title while Steve O’Meara and hot prospect, Bradley Evans also feature on the undercard. Tickets are available from the Ticketline box office on 0844 888 4402 or via www.ticketline.co.uk.