Boxing News Boxing News
On Saturday night in the great fighting city of Liverpool here in the United Kingdom, local heavyweight hope and current British and Commonwealth champion David Price aims for redemption in front of his adoring public at the Echo Arena against his conqueror Tony Thompson.
The first fight, which also took place at the Echo Arena, was seen as both a step up and barometer for Price, who went into the contest at 15-0 with 13 knockouts.
The Scouse giant had thus far been creating a reputation as a destructive knockout puncher and was a heavy favorite going in against Thompson, an experienced veteran who has fought twice for the World title against Wladimir Klitschko losing both fights by knockout in 11 rounds and six rounds, respectively.
Thompson was the most experienced and proven fighter that Price had gone up against, as the American previously scored respectable wins against the likes of Owen Beck and Dominic Guinn, amongst others, and possessed respectable power and enough defensive nous that he was expected give Price a few headaches.
On the night Price, powered by his adoring public, started the fight positively, working off his jab and using his right hand to keep Thompson backed up against the ropes, taking the first round on many people’s cards.
Going into the second round, Price was keeping the pressure on before Thompson caught him with a right hand behind the ear that sent Price to the canvas for the first time in his career.
While Price was able to get to his feet before referee Steve Gray could complete his 10 count, the unsteady nature of Price forced the referee [correctly in this writer’s opinion] to wave the contest off.
This sent the Liverpool crowd into a stunned silence after seeing their heavyweight hope suffer his first defeat since turning over to the professional ranks.
Since then, Price went off to Canada to work with Lennox Lewis, the last man to be recognised as the Undisputed Heavyweight Champion of the World, and like Price, a former British title holder who along the way suffered his own knockout losses.
In these sessions with the iconic Lewis, Price has benefited not only from the experience he garnered but the hands on nature that Lewis was employing in the camp to help address any technical issue Price may possess and help deal with the mental side of it as well.
Featuring on the bill at the Echo Arena as chief support to Price’s shot at redemption against Thompson, Bristol’s Darren Hamilton will be looking to take one step closer to winning the Lonsdale belt outright against Adil Anwar at Light-Welterweight, while down at Flyweight, local prospect Kevin Satchell will be putting his Lonsdale belt on the line against fellow unbeaten fighter Iain Butcher.
But it will be redemption and not repetition that the Liverpool fight public want to see from David Price on Saturday night.
