David Price announced his retirement today in choosing to walk away from the sport after 12 years as a pro. The 2008 Olympic super heavyweight bronze medalist Price (25-7, 20 KOs) says he no longer has the “hunger” to keep fighting after being inactive for the last two years.
It’s not surprising that Price has chosen to hang up his gloves, as he’s found it challenging to pick up wins in the last several years.
With any retirement in this era of boxing, it’s possible we could see Price back in the ring soon if he’s offered a good payday against one of the young lions.
“I haven’t officially announced that I’ve retired, but I won’t be fighting anymore. You won’t see me in a boxing ring again for a fight,” said David Price to BT Sport Boxing.
Price just barely missed out on a massive payday fight several years ago when he lost to Alexander Povetkin in 2018.
Had Price won that fight; he would challenge former IBF/WBA/WBO heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua and made millions.
Instead, Povetkin knocked Price out in the fifth round, and it was he that got the big massive payday against Joshua later that year in September 2018.
Still young at 38, Price feels there’s no desire on his part to keep fighting at the level he’s at in the sport. In recent years, the 6’8″ Price has suffered stoppage losses to these heavyweights:
- Dereck Chisora
- Alexander Povetkin
- Erkan Teper
- Christian Hammer
- Sergey Kuzmin
- Tony Thompson x 2
You can argue that the final straw for Price was his fourth round knockout defeat at the hands of Chisora in October 2019, as he wasn’t remotely competitive in that fight. Chisora is a decent journeyman-level heavyweight, and it obviously wasn’t a good sign for Price to be getting manhandled by a washed fighter like him.
Price will be remembered for his wins over David Allen, Matt Skelton, and Audley Harrison. Unfortunately for Price, his best victories came early on in his career before he suffered two shock knockout losses to Tony Thompson in back-to-back fights in 2012.
“I had my vulnerabilities, and that was the excitement because it made people want to watch me,” said Price to BT Sport Boxing. “Some people will miss watching me fight, but two years have flown by since I fought Derek.
“I’m looking at the younger generation coming through like Joe Joyce, John Fisher, all the young lads coming through. I’m enjoying watching them without studying and analyzing in case I have to fight them,” said Price.
