By Neil Goodman: There often nothing more exciting than a crossroads clash between two fighters; especially in the heavyweight division! Tomorrow night sees Price square-off against McDermott in a final eliminator, for the right to fight for the British heavyweight title. This is a classic instance of the ‘prospect’ being tested against the older veteran – the winner goes on, the loser goes home.
It seems almost strange to term ‘Big Bad’ John a veteran; he is after all only 31. This said, John’s been a pro now for almost 12 years and has been fighting at national level for at least the last 6.
So, what does McDermott bring to the table that could possibly derail the momentum which Price has built-up? McDermott has proved himself to be a consistent performer and a handful for almost everyone who has been in with him. John can box a bit, has a decent right hand, can generally hold a shot and is very proficient at boxing on the inside. Whilst on occasions he has been stopped early, generally, despite his ‘dough boy’ visage, John can fight at a good pace.
The standout performances to date have been against Danny Williams and Tyson Fury. Whilst the slate show’s loses against both; in reality he probably deserved the nod in both of the initial bouts; with both opponents upping their game in subsequent rematches.
Turning our attentions to Price; we have a relative novice in professional terms (11-0 9 Kos). Price switched codes relative late, after securing an Olympic bronze medal. Thus far as a professional he has displayed his trademark jab-right hand and the development of his power was in evidence in his second round KO over Tom Dallas last time out. However, Price maybe a victim of his own success; having only been the distance in two fights (4 and 6 rounds respectively). He still very inexperienced in terms of rounds under his belt.
To conclude what we have not seen from Price is a full arsenal of long, mid and short range punching. Additionally, as you could expect for someone of 6ft 8”, to date he has very much been the aggressor. How does he react when / if he gets pushed backwards? And, importantly, how does his stamina hold up over the course of a longer bout?
Tomorrow night, I think we will see Price earning and learning, against the ideal opponent at this stage of his career. He will surely have to eat a few shots; but ultimately the Price right hand (honey punch) should enable him to secure a late round stoppage. If the fight does go to the scorecards, I am sure Big Bad John is not expecting any favours. After all, he has been robbed more than a stagecoach in the wildwest!