Deontay Wilder battles Kelvin Price tonight

By ESB - 12/14/2012 - Comments

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By Michael Collins: Two giant 6’7” heavyweights Deontay Wilder (25-0, 25 KO’s) and Kelvin Price (13-0, 6 KO’s) battle it out tonight in a fight for the vacant WBC Continental Americas heavyweight title at the Sports Arena in Los Angeles, California. The two of them have vastly different fighting style, however, with Wilder throwing pure power shots, and Price more of a pure boxer with limited power.

Price does have decent power, but it’s nothing like the kind that Wilder. There’s no comparison in that regard. Wilder is one of those rare heavyweights with classic one-punch knockout power in either hand, and if he connect on Price’s chin he’s going to put him on the canvas. That’s a given for this fight. Price will do down.

The only question is whether Price can get up and resume his safety first boxing style. He’s someone that will be looking to jab his way to a decision, because he’s not going to be looking to throw too many actual punches at Wilder because it’s just not safe to that. If Price starts throwing power shots, he’s going to leave himself open for Wilder’s monster shots.

At Friday’s weigh-in, both Wilder and Price looked in superb condition. Price, 37, looks like he’s been working out a lot because he’s in really great shape for this fight.

Price hasn’t scored a knockout in two years, and he hasn’t fought since April. That’s not good. He’s not even knocking out guys with records like 12-11, 11-16 and 3-1. That suggests that he doesn’t have good power, and if you look at him fight it’s pretty clear that the power just isn’t there for him. However, he’s got quick hands, a decent jab, and he kind of reminds me a lot of a more defensive version of Jameel McCline. He has the same bad habit of snapping short punches but without following through with them, as if he’s ready to pull back and retreat at the slightest hint of danger.

Tonight there’ll be plenty of danger with Wilder chasing him around the ring, and I just wonder how Price is going to survive in this fight, let alone try to win it.

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