British Heavyweight Price Steps Up In McDermott Test

This Saturday night, the British boxing scene kicks back into life with a heavyweight bang. Olympian prospect David Price, 11-0-0 with 9 KO’s, faces his first real test against ‘Big Bad’ John McDermott 26-7-0, 17 KO’s.

Price clearly stood out as an amateur; in 2003 at age 19 and at 6’8, he became the youngest ever ABA champion in the Super Heavyweight division. He then went away to win a Gold Medal at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, and then a Bronze at the Beijing Olympics in 2008. With that glittering start to his boxing career, it was clear he would turn pro.

Since turning pro, he has fed on the usual, steady diet of “opponents”. He is being built up at a good steady speed and his promoter is the same man who once brought us Lennox Lewis.

With a KO ratio of 80% it is clear that Price carries the heavyweight punch, and due to his amateur background, he can be a very technical fighter with good fundamentals.

His record is a tad bare but then, it should be at this stage of his career. So far, his most testing outings have been his last two fights. At the beginning of 2011, he fought Raphael Butler, who, at the time was 35-9-0 and had shared a ring with Eddie Chambers, who stopped Butler in six. Price didn’t let the American veteran get out of the first.

Then came Tom Dallas, 15-0-0. Price was already sparring Dallas in preparation for another fighter, but hen that opponent pulled out, Dallas stepped in.

Dallas was also relatively heavy handed, but had no way near the level of experience that Price carries from his amateur days. Price dominated Dallas and dropped him hard before the ref stopped it in the second.

That essentially is Price’s career up to this point; John McDermott should be a different beast entirely.

McDermott has always been an underrated fighter, and has been on the wrong end of a few controversial decisions. McDermott has held the English belt before, after stopping Pele Reid in two rounds back in 2008.

Although it was not the first time he challenged for the belt; in 2004 he went up against Mark Krence and lost by a round on points. Two fights later in December 2005, McDermott challenged Matt Skelton for the British title but was knocked out in the first round.

Still, not to be discouraged, he got back on his horse and won six straight, including the stoppage of Pele Reid and capturing the English title. After Reid, Danny Williams was on the horizon, and in a hard fought twelve rounds with back and forth action, Williams was awarded the victory, even though most observers, critics, commentators and fans saw McDermott put in the performance of his life and Williams be deducted three points overall.

McDermott’s performance and the somewhat suspicious ending earned John a rematch with Williams, which he lost, but this time, more convincingly…there were no arguments afterward.

Then, another young prospect, named Tyson Fury, was on the warpath for British heavyweight supremacy and McDermott’s English title was on the line. After a big build up where there was clearly bad blood between the combatants, a gruelling twelve rounds were fought.

Fury was awarded the decision, which was baffling. No way Fury won that bout, and by the 98-92 score Judge O’Connor had, I can only conclude he was watching a different fight.

Alas, McDermott was on the wrong end of a dodgy decision yet again. However, as in the initial Williams contest, his performance earned him another rematch. Although McDermott was up for the fight, and displaying a valiant effort, Fury had clearly upped his own game and stopped McDermott in the ninth.

About this time last year, McDermott fought Larry Olubamiwo for the Southern Area heavyweight title and smashed Olubamiwo in one round, thus enabling John to be in the position to go for his old title again. Still, that is not the most active he could have been.

McDermott has a great fighting heart, which has always enabled him to come back, as promoters will always have him on shows. He has a good punch on him with a KO ratio at just over 50%, not bad footwork, defence and good basic skills.

McDermott is a threat to any heavyweight that he gets in with because of his work rate and the simple fact that he is so largely underrated and looks fleshy around the middle.

Price will not underestimate McDermott. Price was stopped in the amateurs by Bermane Stiverne, who is roughly the same height as McDermott. Price was caught all night with overhand rights, and so will be well aware of all the tools that McDermott brings to the table. All that amateur experience will be key to Price’s career progression.

McDermott will be brave and he will come to fight, but Price will just keep him on the end of that long, straight jab he has and pepper him all night with the right hand.

McDermott has beaten prospects before, but he came up short against Tyson Fury. Price beat Fury in the amateurs in 2005 with a score of 22 to 8.

For as long as it lasts, McDermott will charge forward and try to get inside his man but I can’t see Price letting that happen and it will be only a matter of time before Price stops ‘Big Bad’ John.