29.03.09 – by James Slater – Last night, in Liverpool, on the under-card of the British super-middleweight title fight between local rivals Tony Quigley and Tony Dodson (which Quigley won, in thrilling fashion, by TKO in the 12th and final round) 25-year-old former Olympian David Price fought as a pro for the first time. The team captain of the British squad in Beijing, Price picked up a bronze at super-heavyweight and now the huge 6’8″ 250-pounder is on his way to a good paid career..
Stopping a game Dave Ingleby in the 3rd round with a sensational bomb of a right hand to the head that lifted the 28-year-old clean off his feet and left him face down on the canvas, Price closed the show in stunning fashion. Ingleby, who fell to 6-25-1(4), got back to his feet after absorbing the sledgehammer blow, but he was all gone and the referee had no choice but to stop the fight.
As sensational as Price looked in getting his man out of there, he didn’t quite have things his own way, however. Working his opponent with the slightly deceiving record over in the opening two rounds, landing some wicked blows to the midsection in particular, Price occasionally let his left hand fall low and Ingleby clipped him with a couple of shots. It is to be hoped Price improves his defence, yet at this embryonic stage in his pro career he is bound to make some errors. A controversial moment occurred in the 3rd round.
Price lost his mouth-piece and just as the ref shouted stop boxing so as to take the 25-year-old to his corner and have it replaced, Ingleby landed a right hand to Price’s head, who had turned away and dropped his hands. Not expecting the blow, Price was hurt and his legs wobbled as he walked to his corner. Protect yourself at all times, the referee tells a fighter before the bout begins, and Price did not do so – appearing to take his eyes off his opponent and dropping his guard a split second before the ref called stop boxing. The drama was short-lived, though, as the former ABA champ brought matters to a close with his great right hand.
Promoted by Adam Booth and David Haye’s “Hayemaker Promotions” outfit, Price is in good hands and will look to make his name in the pro ranks. One man he may wind up meeting in the near future is Tyson Fury, who had already called Price out even before the 25-year-old had had a chance to make his debut. There is a touch of bad blood between the two, what with Price beating Fury as an amateur a while back. Now, Fury – showing a shocking lack of respect for his fellow pros according to the man who beat him – wants a rematch.
Price, a much more quiet man who prefers, he says, to let his fists do the talking, will surely be accommodating Fury soon.