Audley set to finally pay the Price

25^th July 2012

Adam Appleton

Adam Appleton

25 July 2012

Heavyweight veteran Audley Harrison has agreed a fight with David Price in Liverpool’s Echo Arena on 13^th October. 

Price will defend his British and Commonwealth heavyweight title belts in the bout, with many already predicted that it will be the final chapter in Audley Harrison’s sorry professional career.

He was outclassed and embarrassed by David Haye in the biggest fight of his life for the world title, Haye dismissing him in three rounds without the 40-year-old throwing a punch in anger.

Price, on the other hand, is 13-0 having impressively dismissed several big British heavyweight names, such as Sam Sexton and John McDermott.

Price’s unique athletic ability mixed with his range (he is 6ft 9in) and explosive power makes for a fearsome combination, one which will surely see him challenge for a heavyweight world title at some stage. 

A fight with Dereck Chisora was mooted for Price, but following his loss to David Haye and Harrison’s defeat of the recently disgraced Ali Adams, Harrison became a more attractive option. 

Price commented: “Audley was an inspiration to me when I was younger, someone our amateur squad always looked up to.”

“He called me before Beijing to offer advice, which I’m grateful for, but he’s still getting flattened.”

And indeed that appears to be the likely case as Harrison has shown numerous times that he is not only past his best, but was in fact never a fighter of world-class level.

Harrison won gold at Sydney 2000, whilst Price took bronze at Beijing 2008, but it seems as though the Liverpudlian is and will continue to have a better time of it in the professional ranks. 

All factors appear to be in Price’s favour; he is quicker, younger, more powerful and better-skilled than Harrison and come mid-October we shall see just how superior Price is. 

With any luck a victory here will then see him take on Haye, Fury, Helenius, or possibly even a Klitschko, should the performance be impressive enough.

The general consensus is that Price needs to start to look at moving up to world level in order to secure a title shot at the right time in his career.

And when Price does get that title shot, you can be sure there will be fireworks. 

Adam Appleton, boxing correspondent