David Price aiming for title heavyweight title shot

BoxingNews24.com

By Scott Gilfoid: David Price (21-3, 18 KOs) believes he could be soon fighting for a world title in the near future if he can get past Christian Hammer (20-4, 11 KOs), and then win another fight. Price, 33, wants to become the mandatory challenger to WBO heavyweight champion Joseph Parker before fighting for a world title. However, Price might be lucky if he can even beat the 29-year-old Hammer next month, because he’s had problems with taking hard head shots.

Price has been knocked out three times since 2013, and he hasn’t even fought anyone particularly dangerous. Price’s knockouts have come against Tony Thompson [x 2] and Erkan Teper.

While those are decent heavyweights, they’re not viewed among the elite in the division. The fact that the 6’8” Price was knocked out three times by the likes of those guys tells you that he’s probably not going to do too well when he does eventually get a title shot.

Price has picked up a couple of wins lately in beating Vaclav Pejsar and Ivica Perkovic. The victories seem to have boosted Price’s confidence, as he’s sounding bold once again like he had been during the best years of his pro career from 2009 to 2012. Price’s boxing career has looked anything but good since 2013. He’s beaten no one of talent, and he’s been stopped twice by Thompson and then by Teper.

Price said this to ESPN.co.uk about his heavyweight title shot aspirations:

“We were contacted by Parker’s people, but it’s not looking likely now because he’s probably going to have to go with his mandatory challenger for that title now,” Price said. “It wasn’t to be at this stage, but hopefully something can happen in the future. I’ve still got to climb the ladder. I just want to beat Hammer and then maybe fight another world-ranking contender and get myself in a position where maybe I’m in a mandatory position with the WBO.”

If Price gets by Hammer, which is a big IF, then I’d like to see him fight someone like Jarrell Miller in order for him to give the boxing fans a signal whether he’s improved enough to fight for a world title. The 6’4” Miller has a little bit of pop in his punches, and he’d be a good test for Price. II don’t think Miller is a great fighter though. He’s definitely very flawed and beatable. If Price can beat Miller, he would convince a lot of fans that he’s worthy of fighting for a world title.

Price and Hammer will be fighting on February at the Olympia, in London, England.