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Olympic Bronze Medallist David Price has warned trash-talking rival Tyson Fury that his taunts may land him in trouble with the lanky Liverpudlian – for a second time.
Professor Price dealt Fury a one side-sided amateur defeat in 2006, and now, with both men gunning for glory as professionals, a second meeting between the pair appears a natural. Price welcomes the challenge.
“Fury’s had three professional fights and is already talking as if he’s won three world titles,” says Price, who beat Fury 22-8 in the unpaid ranks.
“He gave me some stick the other day and I haven’t even had a pro fight yet. To be honest, I’ve heard it all before from this guy, and if he hasn’t learnt his lesson from the last time he shouted his mouth off to me, he never will.
“He was only 14 the last time I boxed him – or so he keeps saying. He seems to get younger and younger each time I hear him mention our fight. Someone’s also told him that he flattened me and had me hanging on for dear life. I’m not sure whether he’s just stupid or there’s something wrong with his memory, but it’s probably a case of both, to be honest.”
As one can now appreciate, Fury didn’t drop Price in their previous meeting, and he didn’t have the three-time ABA champion wobbling on unsteady stems, either.
“I remember absolutely bullying him in the first round and then being so far ahead at the end of the first round that the rest of it was a walk in the park,” recalls Price, who makes his pro debut on March 28 in Liverpool.
“If I had boxed him now, I’d have stepped on the gas and knocked him out whenever I wanted to. I was that far ahead and that dominant. I just played with him for every round.
“To be honest, though, I can’t boast too much about beating a 14-year-old kid who’d never laced on a pair of gloves before. It wasn’t even a big fight for me. He was just a mouthy kid who won an ABA title, and didn’t even do that particularly impressively.”
Understanding of Fury’s desire to get noticed, Price is nevertheless bewildered as to why his ex-amateur rival has already called out the majority of the heavyweight division.
“He’s beaten three ‘bums’ and suddenly thinks he’s some kind of superstar,” adds Price. “He hasn’t beaten anything like the competition I did in the amateurs and hasn’t achieved even half of what I did.
“I’m not impressed with the physical shape he’s in or his punching power. He’s boxing live on ITV4 and yet he can’t be bothered to get his body in any kind of shape.”
Ultimately, Price welcomes the invitation to help build one of the more interesting domestic heavyweight rivalries for a few years.
“It’s good and is all part of the game,” admits Price. “He can say what he wants. I’m just starting to think he has an unhealthy obsession with me. He’s been stalking me since our amateur days. Maybe I should send him a picture of me for his bedroom wall or something. Either that or issue a restraining order.
“I think they’re looking to push Tyson Fury the name as hard and as quickly as possible because there really isn’t much substance there. He doesn’t have any pedigree and I don’t think he’ll have much longevity, either.”
Whenever it may be that Fury reaches British title class, Price will be there with him, more than willing to hand Tyson a shot at revenge.
“I’d love to meet Fury in a British title fight over the 12-round distance,” says Price. “From what I’ve seen, he doesn’t train very hard and he just looks like one of those typical lazy and overweight heavyweights. We’ll see how he copes with me over 12 rounds. I guarantee I’m a bigger puncher than Tyson Fury. He knows that, too. He remembers.”
Olympic Bronze Medallist David Price’s eagerly awaited professional debut forms part of the undercard to Hayemaker 6: ‘The Mersey Beatdown’ on March 28 at Liverpool’s Echo Arena. Headlining the show will be the all-Liverpool British title showdown between Tony Dodson and Tony Quigley.
To purchase tickets to Hayemaker 6: ‘The Mersey Beatdown’ visit www.accliverpool.com or call 0844 8000 400.
Hayemaker 6: ‘The Mersey Beatdown’ will be screened live and exclusively by Setanta Sports.
