British Titlist Price Steps Up To Face Ex-Champ Skelton

Following his spectacular 82 second, potentially career ending demolition of perennial underachiever Audley Harrison at the Echo Arena in the maiden defence of his titles on Saturday night, Liverpool’s unbeaten and exciting heavyweight giant David Price will make a rapid second defence of his Commonwealth and British titles against former British, Commonwealth and European Champion Matt Skelton on the 8th December at a venue yet to be decided.

Skelton turned professional back in 2002 at the age of 32 following a career in kick boxing in which he fought 71 times, scoring 63 wins, of which 57 came by knockout.

After he swapped kick boxing for the Queensberry rules, Skelton had a 34 fight professional career in which his big hitting, slugging style initially did not appeal to the purist of the noble art, but won them over when he was delivering the knockouts.

Skelton has faced some of the best European heavyweights of the 2000’s, which included a creditable WBA title challenge against Ruslan Chagaev, dropping a 12 round decision in 2008.

Previously, Skelton clinched the British and Commonwealth titles with a 12th round knockout over the durable Michael Sprott in Sprott’s hometown of Reading in 2004 and then dispatched Keith Long with an 11th round knockout seven month later.

Skelton then went onto post a seventh round stoppage against Mark Krence and a 79 second blowout of perennial challenger John McDermott before vacating the Lonsdale belt.

However, in 2006 he lost and regained the Commonwealth title against Danny Williams in two bouts and in the second fight, won despite conceding 33 lb to Williams in one of the heaviest title fights in a British ring before scoring yet another victory over Sprott prior to the world title challenge against Chagaev.

Despite this loss, Skelton was given an opportunity to challenge for the then vacant European title against the Italian, Paolo Vidoz. However, in 2009, Skelton lost his Commonwealth title in the 11th round to popular Belfast brawler Martin Rogan in a domestic classic.

Since then, Skelton has been without a title and on the road, losing to future European champion Kubrat Pulev of Bulgaria in the fifth professional fight of Pulev’s career.

In 2010, Skelton lost in the final of the Prizefighter Heavyweight series against former victim Sprott before spending five months at Her Majesty’s Pleasure for motoring offences, regarding the identification of a driver.

But since then, Skelton has won his last three fights, all by knockout, to give himself an opportunity to win two of his old titles back.

Price is the younger man, taller, and likely to be the heavier fighter. He is seen as more of a classical boxer with a powerful and accurate left jab, a destructive right cross and right hook, which has dispatched McDermott, former Commonwealth champion Sam Sexton and recently, Harrison in concussive delight to his growing fan base in the great fight city of Liverpool.

While in some quarters Price has been criticised for fighting another 40 something in the shape of Skelton, this writer believes that this match up will provide another test against a tough, big hitting brawler who will keep coming forward to prevent Price from dictating the pace and style of the fight.

Price will be looking to win the prestigious Lonsdale belt outright in a manner similar to his promoter Frank Maloney’s most successful heavyweight charge, Lennox Lewis, who did so in the early 1990’s.

Expect a much tougher test for Price come fight night against Skelton as he looks to deliver an early Christmas present to his fans with yet another powerful knockout performance to further cement his reputation as the heir of the Klitschko throne before stepping up to European level.

Expect Skelton to attempt otherwise.