BBN writer Daniel Smith previews the David Price vs Dave Allen heavyweight clash
This Saturday night at London's O2, amidst the 16 by 20 foot squared amphitheatre and 20,000 bloodthirsty punters, metaphorically speaking, Dave Allen (17-4-2) should present like a succulently-mouthwatering piece of Tenderloin Steak to his boxing combatant and the fight's underdog David Price (24-6-0), in this intriguing, domestic heavyweight affair.
Price hasn't ferociously tucked into a battering since 2016 when a legitimate knockout right floored the Czech Republic's Vaclav Pejsar (14-8-0) in the second round. Since then, the big scouser has had controversial victories, suffered chilling knockouts, bad losses, sat on the fringe of retirement, and in March this year, was savagely bitten by Kash Ali over four rounds until the bout was waived off in the fifth with Ali being disqualified for such shameful, despicable and disgraceful foul play.
Now, after three years without a decent meal in the ring, David Price should be rapaciously licking his lips, desperate to satisfy the violent pangs of his knockout appetite as he sizes up Allen like a ravenous, tenderloin-steak-eating beast of a fighter who's poised, famished and awaiting the opportunity to devour his man is ferocious, primitive fashion.
With 19 KO's from 24 wins, Price's ability to timber fighters to the canvas in a display of sheer, natural, devastating punching prowess has been evident his entire career.
On the flipside to the Liverpudlian's desires to be the first man to mill his gloved fists into Allen's face, in clean knockout style – no disrespect to David Price, however, his professional losses are a testament to an inability to adapt and cope under fire.
In six professional outings, Pricey has suffered the lethal, leathered damage of big sluggers with heavy artillery and an appetite for a big lad with a vulnerable chin. Whether big or small heavies, all of them have raged and rattled into the man, all exposing durability and the vulnerable chinks in his armour.
But of course, this is easy for me to say – I'm just a fella who writes about boxing – David Price is the professional boxer and the man who puts in the tremendous hard work, the dedication, the commitment and the one who grits his teeth and slogs it out in the gym, day-in, day-out. Whereas I'm just a fella who writes about someone pushing themselves to the limit.
David is the man who dishes-out and receives the punches, the occasional headbutts, the cuts, the bruises, the brutality, and the man who risks everything once stepping into the boxing ring. And for that, I will never throw any sly gigs and always possess a respect and admiration for David as a professional boxer.
Heading into this genuinely tough fight for "Big" Pricey, the seesaw of attributes most definitely tilt in favour of the Doncaster man. Allen is the younger, fitter, fresher and more resilient of the pair – a young man whose confidence, enhanced ring intelligence, newfound dedication and professionalism, hurl him into greater stead as he enters the bout as the bookies favourite.
Yes, Price is the more seasoned, bigger and heavier fighter that carries enough power to chin a grizzly. However, the vulnerability of his jaw throws even the best aspects of his game into jeopardy.
So, when the two British heavies collide as the preliminary to Whyte vs Rivas, I believe we are to expected to witness Dave Allen absorb whatever his adversary unloads with. Allen will surely be looking to weather the power-punching storm from behind the shelter of his high guard; parrying shots form the protection of his 8oz gloves until the former English, British and Commonwealth champion is gassed-out and there for the taking.
And this is precisely why a vicious, violent and accelerative start could well prove to be Price's best strategy: a sprint towards Allen, attacking him with a nasty whoosh of punishing intent. Explosive, dangerous and ruthless, stretching the parameters of professional savagery and callousness within a boxing ring for the sake of a purse, a victory, a thrust in confidence, a kick in the b****cks for the bookies and to everyone who doubts his heart, bottle and ability to win this fight.
A barbarous, fierce and spiteful David Price; a version of the man we've not seen for a long, long time – not since the days of blasting fighters' across the breadth of his domain. A David Price who's fighting to align his derailed career back on track towards title contention, with one last crack of the whip.
Should Dave Allen emerge as the victor, I'm sure Eddie Hearn will throw him towards Povetkin or someone in the top five. And if successful, who knows what will be in store for the favoured Yorkshireman this time next year. But, with his mindset firmly cemented into putting Price to sleep, it'll hard for him to imagine not beating up the big scouser before ascending towards bigger and better fights.
For Price, he desperately needs to bag this win, and bag it in style. I sincerely like David Price, and if I'm honest, I'm warmed and romanticized by the story of a 'heavyweight prospect' whose career uncontrollably skidded on black ice, only to later earn a glimmer of fortuity in what is more than likely his final surge, his last chance to advance to world level and trade leather with the elite heavies, in a time and division where anything is possible.
Here's to it.