David Price fights the odds

It’s hard not to call him delusional. A look at his record shows a tale of two careers.

He won his first 15 professional fights, scoring 13 knockouts. Since then he’s barely broke even, winning seven, and dropping six. Drop is the key word. All of those losses were by stoppage.

It’s his chin, you see and his stamina. Both can lead to disaster inside a boxing ring. And that’s what it seems like he’s chasing—disaster.

David Price is 35 years old. He stands six-foot-eight and weighs over 250 pounds. He’s a gentle giant who competes in the most brutal of sports. Price has been fighting most of his life. He’s done pretty well.

As an amateur he won gold at the 2006 Commonwealth games, and a bronze medal at the 2008 Olympic Games.

He turned pro in 2009 and immediately turned heads with his punching power. Veteran Tony Thompson was expected to be another victim. Thompson didn’t get the memo. He hung in, absorbing punches and fighting back.

A sneaky right behind the ear sent Thompson crashing to the canvas in the second round. Price got up on shaky legs, his eyes glassy. The referee waved off the fight.

Thompson repeated the feat five months later. Price did well in the beginning, but by round four was gassed. Moments later, the fight was over. Two years later, he was knocked out by Erkan Teper. A left and right did the deed. Teper failed a drug test a few months after the fight. Many suggested that Price ride off into the sunset. He did not.

He won a couple of fights before facing Christian Hammer. Price again did well in the early going, but was stopped in round seven. Retirement talk intensified. Price was back 10 months later. He won a fight and disappeared for a while. Then an opportunity presented itself.

Rumors circulated that he was being advised to ignore it, but regardless of his flaws, Price is a fighter.

Last March he stepped into the ring against long-time contender Alexander Povetkin. If Price was a quarterback, this act would be called heaving a “Hail Mary” His prayer was almost answered. In round three, after being floored, Price connected with a hard shot that sent Povetkin falling into the ropes.

Price was in the fight, but not for long.

The bout ended suddenly in round five when Povetkin brutally knocked out Price with a left hook to the noggin. Price was thrilled with his performance. To him, he may have lost, but he still had won. Won what? Respect? He had that. Earned it a few years ago, but apparently “that” wasn’t enough.

Last September he boxed again, losing to Sergey Kuzmin due to an injury. That had to be the end of it, right?

No.

It was announced a few weeks ago that Price would be fighting Tom Little on the undercard of the Dillian White vs. Derek Chisora rematch at the 02 Arena in London, England.

“I’m longing for that buzz of winning again,” Price said in an article posted in www.maxboxing.com.

“This is why Saturday is so important to me. I would love to get some momentum going and put together some good and see where it takes me, and then just go from there.”

Price will likely win this Saturday. Then perhaps one more big fight. Will that be enough to satisfy him?

I hope for his sake, it is.

www.maxboxing.com/news/tom-little-plans-to-take-david-price-to-deep-and-dark-places