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The British Heavyweight scene has maintained top quality over the years. Lennox Lewis may have been the great name in the 90’s and David Haye impressed us in the middle to late 2000’s, but the new pack has arrived; Irish descendant Tyson Fury (19-0-0 14 KO’s) and knockout artist David Price (15-0-0 13 KO’s).
Fury and Price both maintain less than a 20 fight professional record so are still recognized as prospects by many but they leave their local boxing community split.
Some like Fury’s personality, exciting style and all-or-nothing guts. Others like Price’s chopping right hand power and outrageous physique. And here we are this weekend with both men in action on separate days.
Price already broke down the gritty Matt Skelton in two rounds yesterday at Aintree Equestrian Centre in Liverpool, while Fury will go in with recognized American contender Kevin “Kingpin” Johnson (28-2-1) today on WealthTV in the USA, as was Price vs. Skelton and Channel 5 in England.
Talking about Price’s fight yesterday, he impressed boxing fans on so many levels yet again. First off, he knocked out a fighter who simply doesn’t get stopped or badly beaten in his fights.
Matt Skelton got shook up and beaten down with a cracking right hand to the body in round two, verifying past statements from myself and other writers saying that Price is something special and the idea of him taking the Heavyweight title during the post-Klitschko reign is highly imaginable.
Price is expected to face fringe contender Tony Thompson next in another decent step up early next year. Talks of a future collision with Tyson Fury are also at full strength seeing the recent rants by both rising stars.
Fury’s fight tonight is no less thought of seeing what Johnson brings to the table, which is somewhat solid boxing skills, a great chin, which promises a good twelve round struggle for the powerful Irish warrior.
Some may have preferred a more powerful opponent for Fury around this level, like maybe Robert Helenius, Bermane Stiverne or Tony Grano as I project those fighters as more fan friendly but not as tricky stylistically for Fury.
I don’t believe this fight with Johnson will be the best showcase they could’ve given Fury at his home away from home of Belfast but these are good rounds against a good fighter he needs for his own development.
Fury won’t have it easy tonight. He’ll plug forward to a decision win by fairly wide score totals, but seeing what fellow countryman David Price did to Skelton, I don’t recommend getting too sold on this type of prediction.
To close this piece off I have to say British fans have it well this weekend with the next generation of domestic Heavyweights taking another leap to stardom in front of their eyes. And whether you are a Price fan or a Fury fan, I hope you enjoy these solid local events this weekend.
Corey Quincy is a freelance boxing writer for various sites including Saddoboxing.com, his personal blog Blboxing.com and others. Like his big Facebook page at Boxing Legends and follow him on Twitter at Quincyboxingfan.
