By Danny Winterbottom at ringside: Unbeaten prospect David Price, 12-0(10), took another step closer to becoming Liverpool’s first ever British heavyweight champion when he demolished John McDermott in just 73 seconds of the opening round at a rocking Olympia in Liverpool to claim the vacant English title on Saturday January 21.
McDermott, the current Southern Area champion after his one round knockout of Larry Olubamiwo in February last year, was a cauldron of pent up aggression as he gestured wildly to the pro Price crowd on his walk to the ring, pumping his fists in the air as he past the press row.
The 31-year-old from Horndon in Essex may be a specialist Bronze worker outside the ring but he melted inside it under the heavy artillery of the popular Scouser.
McDermott, 19st 5lbs, started quickly as he landed a stiff jab into the face of the Olympic Bronze medallist followed by a nicely picked right hand. Price, 17st 9lbs, shuffled him to the ropes using his considerable size to tie his man up and reset, bringing to an end “Big Bad” John’s success for the evening. As the pair traded shots in Price’s corner McDermott shipped a cuffing right hand that dropped him to his knees. Up quickly and seemingly unhurt, he engaged Price in a slugfest before another glancing blow to the top of his head dropped him face first to the canvas, punching the mat in anger. The glaring reality was he simply couldn’t cope with the power of Price, and a knowing look over to his corner suggested as much.
The end was only one well placed punch away, and as McDermott covered up in range a thudding right uppercut had McDermott tasting the canvas for a third time prompting referee Howard Foster to wave the contest off as the fallen McDermott struggled to his feet.
Price celebrated wildly, acknowledging the fantastic support shown to him inside the packed hall.
Still high on his career best win Price told Sky Sports what he thought of his performance. “That uppercut was a peach of a shot”. Frank Maloney, who knows a thing or two about guiding a heavyweight to the top, was glowing in his praise for his new star. “David will dominate the heavyweight division; we hope to make the Fury fight as soon as we can because we are now mandatory for both his titles”.
Speaking exclusively to the press later Price admitted he was caught with a few shots. “He caught me with a few jabs, silly shots really but if the knockout hadn’t had come as early as it did I would of got behind my jab and jabbed his head off”.
Asked if that performance could have potentially scared off Fury, Price laughed “Tyson’s got this mad personality where he will look at that performance and probably find something bad about it, he will want the fight because he’s built his reputation talking about fighting me since I turned pro three years ago”.
Frank Maloney, sitting alongside Price interjected. “This fight with Fury is like when Lennox fought Gary Mason all those years ago when he was up and coming, I don’t think this will be a huge challenge for David, it’s just another learning fight”.
He continued “We’ve moved David into a position where he is mandatory challenger for both Fury’s titles so he can’t just give one belt up he would have to give up both and that won’t look good to the public”.
Asked when the big fight could take place, Maloney admitted not yet. “That fight won’t happen until April or May but David will be out again in March, maybe in America because we’ve been speaking to promoters over there, it could be in New York or Texas”. “Down the line I know David will have support like Ricky Hatton did”.
Price admitted he would love the opportunity to fight in the States. “Madison Square Garden is iconic in boxing so to fight somewhere like that would be a dream come true”.
Undercard Action
On the rest of a packed bill, heavyweight Tom little (3-0) scored a 40-36 victory on referee Steve Gray’s card over tough Lithuanian Igoris Borucha (6-23) working behind his jab and dropping in nicely placed left hooks to the ribs. It was a good work out for the unbeaten man from Hatfield.
In more heavyweight action Gary Cornish stretched his unbeaten run to five when he comfortably outpointed Remigijus Ziausys (20-69) 40-37. Dillian Whyte looked the best of the heavyweights on the undercard when he showed some classy moves and quality punch picking to dominate tough Hastings Rasani throughout the 4x3’s taking a 40-36 victory on Steve Gray’s card who was scoring from ringside for novice referee Albert Finch. Whyte had Rasani in trouble on several occasions without quite finding the punches to finish it.
23-year-old cruiserweight prospect Danny Price (3-0) showed his class in a one sided beating of tough but limited Tayar Mehmed dominating behind a crisp, snappy jab before dropping his man heavily with a short right uppercut on the bell to end round two. Mehmed survived the course losing 40-35 to an impressive Price.
In somewhat of an upset former British Bantamweight champion Martin “Too Much” Power was handed a boxing lesson by six fight novice Kevin Satchel of Liverpool. Satchel dominated from the opening bell as he caught the former champion time and again with the right hand, hurting him on several occasions before Power walked on to one and was dropped on the seat of his pants in round two. With his face marked up and blood from his nose Power was worked over by the youngster for the full six rounds, dropping a surprisingly close 59-55 decision.
January 21, 2012
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